Delhi's smog lockdown: Cash relief, curbs, and a city gasping for breath

Heatwaves in summers and spikes in air pollution in winters are a common occurrence in Delhi, as the weather itself becomes a lid that traps the pollution emitted by the national capital. To tackle severe air pollution levels, the Delhi government has now mandated work from home for 50 per cent of employees in both private and public sectors.

Labour Minister Kapil Mishra said the decision aims to cut daily commuting, which will in turn reduce vehicular emissions, warning that action will be taken against institutions that fail to comply.

India’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday announced the highest level of its graded response action plan, scaling up from Level III to Level IV to tackle worsening air pollution.

“To offset this loss, the government has decided to provide Rs 10,000 in financial assistance to affected workers," Mishra said.

India’s Air Quality Index (AQI) classifies levels of 101–200 as 'Moderate', 201–300 as 'Poor', 301–400 as 'Very Poor', and anything above 400 as 'Severe'. The capital’s AQI has remained above 300 for several days.

According to experts, “low wind, night-time radiation inversions and shallow mixing heights trap pollutants close to the ground, turning the city into a photochemical reactor that can push the daily AQI past 400".

Although heavy traffic and large-scale building projects that raise soil dust decline in winters, vehicular exhaust from diesel trucks and ageing cars remains a year-round constant, contributing around 40 per cent of Delhi’s pollution and turning the winter air into a toxic soup of smoke.

Now, GRAP IV norms have led to construction activities being barred, older diesel trucks being stopped from entering Delhi, and schools being told to switch to hybrid classes (and younger children told to study online).

“Workers will be awarded compensation for the days GRAP IV remains in place. These benefits will be extended to workers registered with the government. The registration process is ongoing,” Mishra added.

Later, the Supreme Court orally observed that the measures taken by authorities so far had been a “total failure” in effectively curbing rising pollution levels in the national capital.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked that any meaningful reduction in pollution would require broader and long-term planning rather than ad hoc responses.

Interestingly, the Chinese embassy has offered to help Delhi fight air pollution by posting a step-by-step guide on how Beijing tackled the problem. Beijing was once notoriously known as the smog capital of the world.

As Delhi now reels under smog, and temporary relief to construction workers offers no long-term solution, it remains to be seen what January’s winter has in store if pollution levels refuse to drop.