Delhi air quality hits 494 as AQI enters severe category
Environment and Transport ministers have directed 50 per cent of their department staff to work from home as pollution worsens.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated significantly on Friday morning, with the real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 494 at 7:31 am. According to reports from The Times of India, the city experienced dense smog and reduced visibility throughout the day.
In response to the worsening conditions, Delhi Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Transport minister Pankaj Singh have instructed 50 per cent of the workforce in their respective departments to work from home. This follows the implementation of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which suggests that public, municipal, and private offices operate with half their usual staff strength.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has advised state governments in the National Capital Region (NCR) to consider these work-from-home arrangements. Minister Singh has specifically directed departments including health, family welfare, and information technology to adopt the measure, though essential services are excluded.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed several areas in the severe category, including IIT Delhi with an AQI of 488, ITO at 455, and Anand Vihar at 419. Other locations such as Rohini and Rajokri Border also recorded severe levels.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj has accused the BJP and the CPCB of misrepresenting pollution data. Citing a report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Bharadwaj alleged that actual pollution levels were 49 per cent higher than official website readings.