Half of workers in New Delhi, India, have been ordered to work from home, in a bid to tackle the city's horrific air pollution problem.
Thick, toxic smog has engulfed the city since the start of the week, with air pollution reaching 50 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended safe limit. Schools were already shut down, and all construction was suspended in the world's second-largest city, which has a population of more than 30million.
The deadly haze covered monuments and high-rise buildings in the city, with visibility so low that airlines warned of delays. New Delhi's government has ordered all offices to work at 50% capacity, as officials try to manage the grim smog.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai wrote on X: "To reduce pollution, Delhi government has decided to implement work from home in government offices. Fifty per cent of the staff in government offices will work from home. Later in the day, the officers will meet to discuss the implementation of the provision." He earlier told a press conference: "As part of the curbs, all Delhi govt offices, barring essential services, will operate at 50% capacity. Private offices are also being directed to implement work-from-home for the convenience of employees."
Having half the number of workers commuting to an office would significantly cut peak rush-hour traffic inside the city centre, which was largely responsible for the rise in toxic air pollution. The government was also asking private offices to stagger working times in ease road congestion.
"We have issued advisories to industry associations, private companies and offices, urging them to have 50% staff working from home and staggering their office timings to reduce peak-hour traffic," added Mr Rai. "In a similar manner, private offices should start operations at 10.30am or 11am to ease vehicular congestion on the roads."
New Delhi locals woke up to thick, toxic smog enveloping the city on Monday, as the air quality became increasingly hazardous. It rose further into the severe category, according to India's System of Air Quality and West Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the country’s main environmental agency, which measures tiny particulate matter in the air that can enter deep into the lungs.
Air pollution in northern India rises every year, particularly in winter, as farmers burn crop residue in agricultural areas. The burning coincides with colder temperatures, which trap the smoke in the air. The smoke is then blown into cities, where auto emissions add to the pollution.
Emissions from industries and the burning of coal to produce electricity are also linked to the pollution, which has been steadily ticking up in recent weeks. Starting Monday, authorities began enforcing stage 4 of a graded response action plan, or GRAP 4, based on the severity of the air pollution. Earlier stages of the plan were already in place, and stage 4 includes stricter curbs.
Classes for all grades except 10 and 12 will be held online and no trucks will be allowed to enter the city except for those carrying essential items. Some older, diesel guzzling vehicles have been banned inside the city, and all construction activities have been halted. Authorities also urged children, the elderly and others with chronic diseases or respiratory issues to avoid going outside as much as possible.
Over the weekend, farmers in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state burned their fields, releasing plumes of grey smoke that winds likely carried into New Delhi and other nearby areas. Despite the poisonous air, many in the capital continued their usual routines, including morning walks in the city’s beloved Lodhi Garden.
“Everyone has a sore throat," said Sanjay Goel, a 51-year-old shopkeeper in New Delhi. "They should ban crop residue burning ... it's just smoke everywhere.”
The worsening air quality in the capital also sparked outrage from residents on social media. Many complained of headaches and hacking coughs, describing the city as “apocalyptic" and a “gas chamber.” Others urged officials to solve the public health crisis once and for all. Several studies have estimated more than a million Indians die each year from pollution-related diseases.
Authorities have invoked similar measures in the past and have at times deployed water sprinklers and anti-smog guns in an attempt to control the haze. But critics say there needs to be a long-term solution that drastically reduces pollution itself, instead of actions that aim to mitigate the effects after it has already plagued the region.