Telangana employees seek five-day work week to tackle El Nino impact
The Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees submitted a representation to the Chief Secretary suggesting changes to office timings.
Telangana government employees have requested the introduction of a five-day working week to help mitigate the adverse effects of the El Nino phenomenon, according to The Hindu.
The Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees, Gazetted Officers, Teachers, Workers and Pensioners submitted a representation to Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju regarding the matter.
The committee suggested that office timings be changed to 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., totaling seven and a half hours a day. This would replace the current six-day schedule of 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., which totals 39 hours a week.
The employees stated that a five-day week could save water and power, reduce road pollution, and enhance efficiency. They also noted that employees could work an extra hour once a week to benefit the government.
The group requested the Chief Secretary to inform Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy about the proposal, noting that the Chief Minister has appealed to the public to save water, power, and fuel.
The demand comes as the state faces El Nino-induced challenges, with a Ground Water Department official stating that 13 of the 16 mandals in Hyderabad district have experienced a rainfall deficit so far.