Not asking employees to work from home, Centre tells SC in affidavit on air pollution

The Centre also stated that it has advised its employees in Delhi to resort to carpooling.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday (November 17, 2021) told Supreme Court in an affidavit on air pollution that it is not asking the Central government employees to work from home as normalisation is returning after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It, however, suggested 50 per cent attendance in offices of the government of the national capital territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

"So rather than implementing work from home, we have issued an advisory for pooling and sharing of vehicles," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana.

However, the Centre added that the number of vehicles used by the Central government is a 'minuscule' fraction of the total vehicles in Delhi and stopping them from plying would not make much impact towards improving the air quality in the national capital.

Mehta also pointed out directives issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management for Delhi-NCR & adjoining areas that included shutting of schools and colleges, a ban on construction work, among other measures.

Earlier on Monday, the bench had said that the Centre and states should consider work from home for their employees in and around Delhi.