COVID- 19 Positive Effect?

The pandemic COVID-19 has bought the world to a stop. Lockdown has been initiated by the government in our country, which means it brings a halt to travelling, industries, and factories, markets and shops are completely shut, construction work is at standstill. Even though our economy is struggling there has also been a positive effect. Practicing quarantine has bought a positive change in the environment. Data explains that in the urban cities there has been a decrease in the levels of harmful microscopic particulate matter known as PM 2.5, and of nitrogen dioxide, which is discharged by transportations and power plants. In New Delhi, government data reveals that in a week’s time the average concentration of PM 2.5 fell by 71% from 91 microgram per cubic meter on March 20, to 26 on March 27, after the lockdown started. In the same time frame, Nitrogen dioxide declined from 52 per cubic meter to 15. Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore have also reported a reduction in the pollution levels. During the first three weeks of the lockdown in March, the average nitrogen dioxide levels declined by 40-50% in the cities of Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.  According to a report by CREA, the nationwide curfew or “Janata Curfew” on March 22 also appeared to have the lowest one-day traffic pollution levels on record. Other hazardous pollutants, PM2.5 and the larger PM10, which are less than 10 micrometres in diameter, also decreased. Last year in 2019, New Delhi the environment was severely affected by air pollution and the city was covered in a dark haze. Similar to the pandemic people were stepping out with masks during that period. Couple of months passed, and now skies have cleared up. This cannot be described as the ideal way to control the pollution but it is a lesson learnt that pollution level can be managed by us.

Reference: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/31/asia/coronavirus-lockdown-impact-pollution-india-intl-hnk/index.html