Coronavirus Lockdown Has Caused A Significant Decrease In The Pollution Levels In Delhi And Mumbai. Finally, Some Good News

Coronavirus has done some undeniable damage to mankind. Although it is seemingly the worst global problem humans have faced all through history, it has also caused healing. Yes, it has wreaked havoc but it has also acted as a guardian angel for mother Earth.

Before coronavirus came along, we were facing a multitude of problems involving nature and climate change. From air and water pollution to animals being driven to the verge of extinction, I think it’s safe to say that humans haven’t been kind to nature. Between increased industrialization causing global warming, the depletion of non-renewable sources of energy, deforestation and a thousand other things, climate change was one of humanity’s most dangerous, looming threats.

Let me tell you a few things you probably already knew. India was one of the worlds most polluted nations (thanks to our humungous population). Delhi especially was dangerously polluted to such an extent that smog that replaced the regular air we breathe. Although Mumbai and other metropolitan cities weren’t far behind when it came to its residents breathing polluted air. Our government has been trying to get this into control for a while but what they couldn’t do, and as nature would have it, coronavirus effortlessly did.

You see, India has been under total lockdown since over a month now and even though it has left us feeling claustrophobic, it has done wonders for our pollution problem. With traffic off the roads and most of the industries shut, some of the pollution hotspots have reported minimal to no pollution. Those red zones have become green, which means the air is now much cleaner than it used to be.

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These pollution hotspots in Delhi and Mumbai used to report high pollution mainly due to industrial activity or vehicular traffic. The air quality index in these areas now lie in 'good' or 'satisfactory' category.https://t.co/dgT1fbpnfR

— The Telegraph (@ttindia) April 26, 2020

Gufran Beig, the director of the Centre’s System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said that in Delhi eight such locations used to be heavily polluted but now is under control. The locations are Vinobapuri, Adarsh Nagar, Vasundhara, Sahibabad, Ashram Road, Punjabi Bagh, Okhla and Badarpur. In Mumbai, the areas that have reported better air quality than before are Worli, Borivali and Bhandup.

These areas used to report heavy pollution in the air due to industries and constant traffic emissions. Now, after just one month of all the residents being locked in their houses, the air quality has improved so much that it now lies in the “good” or “satisfactory” category.

SAFAR also conducted a comparative air survey for the most dangerous pollutants PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 present in the air during the first phase of the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown conditions. Needless to say, the lockdown has brought the concentration of these pollutants in the air, way down (yay). Mumbai’s survey showed that there was a 63% reduction of NO2 in the air. Maybe we should have gone into self-isolation years ago.

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With vehicles off the road and most industries shut for over a month due to the #CoronavirusLockdown, some pollution hotspots in Mumbai and Delhi have turned into green zones recording minimal or no pollution.https://t.co/aimlsinPkb

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) April 26, 2020

Who knew that the solution to one of our biggest issue’s would be to just lock ourselves up? In the absence of humans, air, water and even animals seem to be thriving. Never would I have thought that we would be grateful to coronavirus for something. In fact, according to reports, a big hole in the ozone layer above the Artic has healed itself.

The cases in India have reached 27,892 and over 800 people have lost their lives. We are facing an indefinite extension of this lockdown. Although if you look at the larger picture, this might not be such a bad thing. At least with the lack of humans on the road, nature is healing itself and that is amazing.

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