Secretariat employees posted at the newly-built Lok Bhawan complained of oxygen deficiency in the building, leading to an inspection by a team of UP Pollution Control Board, doctors and Estate department officials to ascertain the facts on Friday.

“There is some problem in the Lok Bhawan. We believe that the oxygen level is low in the building. A person cannot work there for more than two hours at a stretch. A complaint was filed by Secretariat Employees’ Association to Additional Chief Secretary (Secretariat Administration) Mahesh Gupta on May 31,” president of Secretariat Employees’ Association, Yadvendra Mishra, said on Friday.

Mishra said that no one could work in the building for longer period as it led to dizziness. “The employees complain of headache and there is a behavioural change. Employees told the three-member committee of Pollution Control Board about the problem they are facing in this building,” Mishra said.

The employees’ leader said that the problem was more pronounced in B block auditorium, basement, ground floor lounge and first, second and third floors of Lok Bhawan where section officers and clerks sit for more than eight hours a day.

The fourth floor of the Lok Bhawan houses the Chief Minister’s secretariat and is occupied by secretaries to Chief Minister while the fifth floor has the Chief Minister’s office.

An Estate department officer said that scientists of UP Pollution Control Board would visit the building again next week with equipment to measure the oxygen level there.

Scientifically speaking, there should be a minimum of 21 per cent oxygen in the air with a saturation point of 94-99 per cent in human blood. Anyone with critical blood oxygen level of 90 per cent may require additional oxygen. Low oxygen level in blood can lead to restlessness, dizziness, headache and even chest pain.