Pooling of vehicles instead of work from home for employees: Centre to SC on air pollution

The Centre has told the Supreme Court in an affidavit that it was not asking the Central government employees to work from home, as normalisation of functioning of offices is returning post-Covid pandemic, rather it has issued an advisory to employees for pooling and sharing of vehicles.

The Centre, in an affidavit, said the number of vehicles used for the Central government business in NCR was not very significant, therefore "the Central government decided that in view of the recent normalisation of functioning of Central government offices post-Covid pandemic, the advantage of not passing work from home direction would outweigh the advantages which would be gained from work from home directions".

The affidavit added, "Instead, DoPT Government of India has issued an advisory for the Central Government officers and staff for pooling and sharing of vehicles to the maximum extent possible so that number of the Central Government vehicles plying for commuting of officers and staff are reduced substantially".

The top court has started hearing the matter. Previously, the top court had asked the Centre and state government to hold an emergency meeting to propose steps to curb air pollution in the capital.