Delhi-NCR halts construction to curb pollution, risks 1 million workers' livelihoods
Delhi-NCR is putting a pause on construction work in Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad from November 5-20, with Delhi facing separate private-construction restrictions from November 1 to January 31 to fight rising air pollution.
While the goal is cleaner air and better public health, this move could affect the livelihoods of nearly 1 million workers, many of them daily-wage earners, during the ban.
Industry urges targeted measures, graded response
Big builders might manage by shifting timelines, but smaller contractors and migrant workers could really struggle with lost income and stalled projects.
Industry voices like Dinesh Gupta are urging authorities to focus more on main pollution sources like traffic, instead of blanket bans.
Some are also suggesting a graded response based on real-time air quality, hoping for a balance between protecting jobs and cleaning up the air.