Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat today, Labour & Employment Minister Kapil Mishra shared details of key decisions taken by Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta. He stated that during the GRAP period, construction activities in Delhi were suspended, which adversely affected the livelihoods of daily-wage construction workers. Taking this concern into account, the Delhi Government has decided to compensate workers for the loss of income caused by the suspension of construction work during GRAP. Accordingly, a financial assistance of ₹10,000 will be provided to registered and verified construction workers.
The Minister informed that under the ongoing registration process for construction workers, verification is being conducted simultaneously. The process consists of two stages—registration and verification—and the Labour Department is carrying out this work with full seriousness and capacity. As and when the verification process is completed, the assistance amount of ₹10,000 will be transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Kapil Mishra further stated that in line with the directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Environment Department, the Labour Department has issued fresh guidelines for all government and private establishments in Delhi. Under these guidelines, physical attendance at workplaces will be restricted to a maximum of 50%, while the remaining 50% of employees will work from home.
He clarified that these directions will not apply to essential services, including hospitals and health services, fire services, prison administration, public transport, electricity services, pollution control departments, the Forest Department, and the Delhi Jal Board. He also appealed to all establishments to adopt flexible working hours, promote carpooling, and minimize the use of private vehicles. Compliance with these guidelines is mandatory, and any violation will invite penal action under Sections 15 and 16 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Criticizing the previous government, Kapil Mishra said that the kind of politics being practiced today is not appropriate for the national capital. He stated that when the previous government was in power, its ministers were rarely seen on the ground and failed to take concrete steps to address pollution. The dust, potholes, broken roads, and filth currently visible in Delhi are the outcome of 13 years of negligence, not just the past few months.
He further added that during these 13 years, Delhi’s roads were not properly repaired, footpaths were neglected, and green cover failed to increase. The pollution crisis inherited by Delhi today is the responsibility of the previous government. He emphasized that every minister, every legislator, and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of the present Delhi Government are working round the clock with dedication. The government is committed to achieving what could not be done in the past 13 years and to freeing Delhi from pollution. While pollution control is a time-consuming process, the government is moving forward in a planned and systematic manner.
Concluding the press conference, Kapil Mishra said that certain individuals are attempting to spread political pollution during this sensitive period, but they will not succeed. He appealed to all stakeholders to rise above political differences and work collectively towards making Delhi clean, healthy, and pollution-free.
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