Delhi Chokes, Again

Air pollution in Delhi at this time of the year is a seasonal happening that comes to pass without fault, choking the air in the National Capital, leaving the city unbreathable and barely liveable.

Once again, even before the winter could intensify and get hold of the metropolis, air pollution has occupied every nook and corner of the city.

The air in Delhi has reached and, in fact, has sustained in the Hazardous category, with the AQI rating persisting above 500 in many parts of the city.

Delhi Government Imposes GRAP-IV

Owing to these extreme developments, the Delhi government under CM Atishi imposed GRAP Stage 4 in Delhi NCR. This would bring about some restrictions in the capital.

The Delhi CM in a post on X said, "With the imposition of GRAP-4 from tmrw, physical classes shall be discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes, until further orders."

Here, a GRAP or Graded Response Action Plan-IV is activated when AQI exceeds 450. Currently, in some parts of the city, this has gone beyond the 700 mark.

The GRAP-IV requires complete construction stoppage, school closures, and strict vehicle restrictions, including odd-even schemes.

Netizens Demand Work From Home

Amidst these developments, many working professionals online also voiced their concerns. Many of them demanded a Work From Home (WFH) regime in their offices.

Some netizens expressed anguish and took to X to raise their demands amid the rising concerns.

One X user posted saying, "Delhi must impose work from home for at least a fortnight. The worsening pollution will seize Delhi."

Another exasperated user remarked, "It's time to shut down Delhi NCR. Let everyone work from home for a week or two."

One user echoed the common sentiment and said, "I don’t know why Delhi govt is not considering cloud seeding? At least try something different, we are living in a gas chamber. At least order work from home for next 10 days. No proactive measures. "