Gurugram: Staying indoors amid pollution not an option for many workers

GURUGRAM: The state government has instructed offices to allow employees to work from home so that people can avoid the toxic air but many workers don’t have that privilege.
For the thousands of sales and delivery agents, daily labourers, as well as executives in sales, civil engineering and designing, the government’s stay-at-home advisories amid severe pollution hardly mean anything.
Yatendra Yadav, a delivery agent working with a leading online grocery store, said that despite the deteriorating air quality, he had to be on the field and work as hard as any other day. “We have to complete orders in 10-15 minutes. Due to the current conditions, my eyes have started to itch and breathing is difficult. As I rush between orders, I often find myself panting. But I cannot stop as our incentives depend on delivering the order within the stipulated time. Unless the government declares a complete ban on the mobility of people, I have to be out in the open and work,” said Yadav.
The air quality in Gurugram has been hovering in the 'very poor' and 'severe' categories this entire month. With the AQI often reaching 400 and beyond, many residents have started to limit going outdoors for walks and social visits. However, there has been no respite for those employed in outdoor jobs.
Nitesh Kumar, an auto driver in his early 20s, complained about the air quality but shrugged away the alternative of not stepping out for some days. “We still have to work, otherwise, we won’t be able to pay rent and feed our families,” said Kumar, a migrant worker from Madhya Pradesh.
It’s not just the daily wagers and those involved in the gig economy but some people in white-collar jobs are also finding it difficult to stay indoors in their line of work.
Ankur Singh, a 32-year-old sales executive working for a cyber security firm, said, “Due to the festive season, a lot of offices had been closed. But now that offices are open, I and my colleagues have to go around and meet office staff to convince them about the product our company offers. Our job is based on the amount of business we generate. So, we have to be on the field. But, people in other departments are staying indoors."
Deepak Kumar (name changed), who works as design engineer for refinery equipment, braves the toxic air to reach his office in Sector 30 daily. However, he has installed an air purifier at home to ensure that his son gets to breathe clean air.
“I left home at 8.30 am and the roads remained hazy my whole drive. Our work does not allow us to stay at home because we have to deliberate, supervise and coordinate on our projects. But I have installed an air purifier at home, which provides relief to some extent when I’m home and also ensures that my son is breathing clean air,” said the 45-year-old.
Echoing similar sentiments, Pradip Rahi, a 38-year-old resident of Vatika G 21 working in the automobile sector, said, “Severe pollution has become a yearly occurrence. So, I fail to understand how working from home or closing schools will help. The companies are already struggling to get back to normalcy. The order seems a bit superficial, especially since it's the government that needs to check the sources of pollution.”
In certain professions such as interior designing, one can take the liberty to stay indoors for a day or two but then they have to step out. Vijayeta Chandola, a 46-year-old interior architect and resident of DLF 1, said, “The government needs to come up with long-term solutions, not just short-term goals. The design aspect of any project can be managed through work from home but we cannot execute the work remotely, without going to the site. While we can manage for days, daily wagers, who we hire, are significantly affected as staying at home directly impacts their livelihood.”