<p>New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday announced staggered working timings for its employees in view of the severe air pollution in Delhi, according to an order issued by the Union personnel ministry.</p>.<p>Employees have also been asked to pool vehicles and use public transport to minimise vehicular pollution.</p>.<p>"These measures may be adopted by ministries/departments/organisations as per their functional requirements ensuring that it should not have an adverse impact on efficiency and productivity in any manner," the order read.</p>.Pollution: Schools in Rajasthan's Khairthal-Tijara go online for classes 1 to 5.<p>Given the severe-plus air pollution levels in Delhi, various ministries, departments and organisations of the central government are advised to adopt staggered timing in respect of offices located in the Delhi-National Capital Region, it said.</p>.<p>The order said offices can be open from 9 am to 5.30 pm and 10 am to 6.30 pm.</p>.<p>"The officers/staff using personal vehicles should be encouraged to pool vehicles and to use public transport to minimise the vehicular pollution," it added.</p>.Pollution | Climate change is fuelling rise of non-communicable diseases in India.<p>After a week of 'severe' pollution levels, Delhi's air quality has improved slightly but is still in the 'very poor' zone.</p>.<p>At 9 am on Thursday, the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 376, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).</p>.<p>The move assumes significance as a body representing the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers had on November 18 demanded work-from-home, staggered working hours and air purifiers in all office buildings to mitigate the health impact of the severe pollution levels.</p>.<p>In a letter to the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the CSS Forum said that poor air quality was having a noticeable effect on workplace productivity with employees experiencing symptoms such as respiratory issues, eye irritation, fatigue and general discomfort.</p>
<p>New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday announced staggered working timings for its employees in view of the severe air pollution in Delhi, according to an order issued by the Union personnel ministry.</p>.<p>Employees have also been asked to pool vehicles and use public transport to minimise vehicular pollution.</p>.<p>"These measures may be adopted by ministries/departments/organisations as per their functional requirements ensuring that it should not have an adverse impact on efficiency and productivity in any manner," the order read.</p>.Pollution: Schools in Rajasthan's Khairthal-Tijara go online for classes 1 to 5.<p>Given the severe-plus air pollution levels in Delhi, various ministries, departments and organisations of the central government are advised to adopt staggered timing in respect of offices located in the Delhi-National Capital Region, it said.</p>.<p>The order said offices can be open from 9 am to 5.30 pm and 10 am to 6.30 pm.</p>.<p>"The officers/staff using personal vehicles should be encouraged to pool vehicles and to use public transport to minimise the vehicular pollution," it added.</p>.Pollution | Climate change is fuelling rise of non-communicable diseases in India.<p>After a week of 'severe' pollution levels, Delhi's air quality has improved slightly but is still in the 'very poor' zone.</p>.<p>At 9 am on Thursday, the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 376, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).</p>.<p>The move assumes significance as a body representing the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers had on November 18 demanded work-from-home, staggered working hours and air purifiers in all office buildings to mitigate the health impact of the severe pollution levels.</p>.<p>In a letter to the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the CSS Forum said that poor air quality was having a noticeable effect on workplace productivity with employees experiencing symptoms such as respiratory issues, eye irritation, fatigue and general discomfort.</p>