Air Pollution: Centre tells SC it’s not in favour of work from home

The central government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it is not in favour of work for home for its employees due to air pollution crisis.

The Centre filed an affidavit in the top court ahead of the hearing on air pollution emergency in the Capital region.

The Commission for Air Quality Management late on Tuesday night directed the governments of NCR states to allow work from home for 50% of their employees and suggested the same for private offices.

The central government, however, told the court that work from home will “not be of much benefit and effect”.

In its affidavit, the government said,”… In the recent past, several governmental functions were impacted due to Covid-19 pandemic for substantially a long period of time which entailed pan India ramifications.”

The centre, however, said it has “issued an advisory to its employees on carpooling”.

In the last hearing, the Supreme Court had asked the Central and state governments to consider work from home for their employees for a week.

Delhi and neighbouring areas have been blanketed under toxic smog since Diwali. The Capital’s air remained in “very poor”category on Wednesday with the AQI level of 379.