Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces Rs 5,000 aid to workers amid ban on construction work
Meanwhile, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai appealed to the residents to work from home and use shared transport to reduce vehicular pollution. Rai further said that the responsibility also lies with the central government with respect to the air pollution emanating from stubble burning in Punjab.
FollowDelhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (November 2) said that construction workers will receive a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per month from the Delhi government during the time construction activities are prohibited in the national capital.
The Delhi government has banned construction and demolition activities under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan following the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) order.
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In a tweet, CM Kejriwal said, "Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed Labour Minister, Sh Manish Sisodia, to give ₹5000 pm as financial support to each construction worker during this period, when construction activities are not permitted."
On Wednesday, Delhi's air quality improved marginally owing to relatively better meteorological conditions, with the CAQM saying there is no immediate need to implement curbs under the fourth stage of the GRAP.
The AQI stood at 376 at 9 am. The forecasters also said that the air quality is likely to improve further on the back of stronger winds from Thursday.
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Meanwhile, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai appealed to the residents to work from home and use shared transport to reduce vehicular pollution. Rai further said that the responsibility also lies with the central government with respect to the air pollution emanating from stubble burning in Punjab.
"Central government gives government subsidies to control stubble burning but farmers want direct incentives," Rai said. "Punjab's stubble burning could have come down by 50% if the Centre cooperated."
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The GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in Delhi and adjoining areas according to the severity of the situation.
It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR under four different stages: stage 1 - "poor" (AQI 201-300), stage 2 - "very poor" (AQI 301-400), stage 3 - "severe" (AQI 401-450) and stage 4 - "severe plus" (AQI above 450).
