Gurugram administration advises companies to allow work-from-home to 50% staff

The decision was taken in the wake of crippling pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

The Gurugram administration on Tuesday asked private sector companies in the city to allow work-from-home to half of their staff.

Gurugram: High-rise buildings engulfed in a layer of smog. (PTI)

The decision was taken in the wake of crippling pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar, in his order issued under GRAP-4, said that private and corporate sector companies should allow work from home to 50 per cent of their staff from November 20, reported PTI.

The GRAP-4 was imposed earlier this month after most of the areas in Delhi and NCR suffered from severe pollution levels.

"These orders will continue until the air quality improves. Companies should take this step and provide their cooperation to the district administration," read the advisory.

Delhi's neighbouring Ghaziabad recorded the AQI at 434, followed by Bahadurgarh (416), Gurugram (402), Hajipur (404), and Hapur (419) also remained in the severe category.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good,’ 51-100 ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 ‘moderate,’ 201-300 ‘poor,’ 301-400 ‘very poor,’ 401-450 ‘severe,’ and above 450 ‘severe plus.’

The Supreme Court on Monday directed all Delhi-NCR states to immediately set up teams to strictly enforce anti-pollution restrictions under GRAP 4.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said it is the constitutional duty of all states to ensure that citizens live in a pollution-free environment.

"We direct restrictions under Stage 4 of GRAP to continue even if AQI level falls below 450," PTI quoted the bench as saying.

"GRAP stages should be implemented immediately the moment the AQI level touches alarming levels. Some sense of urgency needs to be there," the bench added.

With inputs from PTI