india

Updated: Nov 01, 2019 18:17 IST

The Delhi government on Friday announced staggered office timings of its 21 departments from November 4 to November 15 owing to the alarming levels of air pollution in the city.

Earlier in the day, it ordered all schools to be shut till November 5 as air quality deteriorated breaching ‘severe plus ’ level and pollution control body declared a public health emergency in Delhi-NCR, which remained shrouded in a thick, toxic layer of smoke and haze.

In another order later in the day, the Delhi government stated that work timings in 21 of its offices located in Central Delhi’s ITO and North Delhi’s Civil Lines will be shifted by an hour. These departments will have timings from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm. The other 21 departments in these two zones will have the usual Delhi government timing which is from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

Some agencies which will have to follow the staggered office timings include the transport, urban development, home and the public works department.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also demanded specific timelines from the Centra, Haryana and Punjab governments on when farmers will stop burning stubble in these neighbouring states.

The CM said the government on Friday also issued an order regarding implementing the odd-even drive. The road rationing scheme will be effective from November 4 to 15.

“Advisories have been issued to cab aggregators to refrain from surge pricing. I also urge auto rickshaws in the city not to resort to overcharging,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal also criticised the opposition for politicising air pollution. He said, “They can take all credit they want. We are doing all that is possible from our end. Why aren’t the neighbouring states being held accountable for stubble burning?”