AQI improves in polluted cities
NEW DELHI : There has been a general improvement in the air quality, including in India, amid lockdowns imposed across the world to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) with the European Space Agency (ESA) releasing satellite images showing nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels have plummeted drastically.
The levels of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant emitted generally by motor vehicles, went down drastically during the lockdown period in parts of China, from where the pandemic originated, and then gradually rose again in the past few days when the restrictions were eased.
In India, several cities known for high pollution levels have recorded an improvement in air quality since Friday. A voluntary curfew to check the spread of the disease kept people mostly indoors on Sunday and the lockdown has been extended till the end of March in places like Delhi.
Gurugram’s air quality index (AQI) improved to 91 to reach the satisfactory category on Monday. AQI of Lucknow improved to 135 to moderate on Monday. Kolkata, which had an AQI of 123 in the moderate level, fell to 108. Mumbai’s AQI was 64 bordering good air quality on Monday.
Delhi invoked the Delhi Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulations, on March 12 which gives the government powers to take extraordinary steps to combat an outbreak. Before the lockdown, Delhi had shut schools, restricted gatherings of more than five people and closed cinemas. The average AQI between March 13 and 22 in Delhi has been 161.4 compared to 190.5 last year.
“The lockdown is catalysing systemic changes, which can be sustained beyond the corona crisis. We are setting up a system to work with less travel. We are now trying to realise the full potential of digitisation. We had not explored this alternative earlier. Reduction in emissions will also happen because of shutting down of factories and industries. That will show us the benefit of switching to clean fuel,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment.