Delhi government imposes 50% WFH rule to reduce emissions, offers compensation of $110 for construction workers

In an effort to address severe air pollution, the Delhi government has made it mandatory for 50% of employees in both government and private sectors to work from home, starting Thursday (December 17). Labour Minister Kapil Mishra explained that this step aims to reduce daily commuting, thus cutting down vehicular emissions. The minister also warned that institutions failing to implement the mandate would face penalties.

Recognising the hardship these measures may impose on workers, particularly in sectors like construction, Mishra announced a ₹10,000 financial aid package for those who have lost work due to the restrictions. The financial support comes as part of the ongoing Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which has been in effect for the past 16 days. Many workers have been unable to earn due to limitations placed on certain activities.

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However, employees working in essential services, such as healthcare, emergency services, fire departments, and those directly involved in pollution control, will be exempt from the work-from-home rule. The minister confirmed that compensation would also be extended for the duration of GRAP IV, with the assistance available to workers who are registered with the government. The registration process is currently underway.

Additionally, Mishra criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for staging protests and accused them of politicising the pollution issue. He remarked that while the Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta remains actively engaged in efforts to address the crisis, the AAP leadership was only focusing on political agendas. He also pointed out that solving a pollution problem that has been decades in the making cannot be achieved in just a few months.

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