Effects of Restrictions during COVID-19 on Air Quality in India: An Opportunity to Reshape the Earth

Authors

  • Misha Roy Assistant Professor, Centre for Environmental Studies, Vidyasagar University, Midnapur, West Bengal, India

Keywords:

Air pollution, corona, COVID-19, passive restoration, pollution

Abstract

The massive increase in the human population, rapid industrialization, and growth in technology has made our life comfortable and luxurious. However, it has come with the price tag of extreme exploitation of our planet earth. Our species have pushed the planet earth against its carrying capacity, damaging the earth’s own restoration capacity to filter the harmful pollutants. One of the outbreaks of this is air pollution. Chronic exposure to air pollutants weakens our lungs gradually making them vulnerable to various diseases and viruses such as SARS, MERS, and now the SARS-CoV-2. In this study, concentrations of six criteria pollutants, PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx, ozone, and SO2 from 2018 to 2020 in 18 cities covering different regions of India were analyzed with a focus on the lockdown period. The result shows a sharp reduction in all the criteria pollutants with the enforcement of lockdown measures. In the national capital Delhi alone, the rapid decrease in particulate matter (108 µg/m3), NOx (31 µg/m3), and NH3 was observed with an increase in ozone concentration. The AQI has also improved from severe to moderate and good. This study proves the vision that by simple and strict implementation of regulatory measures, the earth can be allowed to be reshaped by passive restoration.

Author Biography

  • Misha Roy, Assistant Professor, Centre for Environmental Studies, Vidyasagar University, Midnapur, West Bengal, India

    Dr. Misha Roy is presently is serving as an Assistant Professor, Environmental Science, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, W.B. She is a Ph.D & M.Phil in Environmental Science from Kalyani University. University, JRF-SRF fellow in Kalyani University and Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata. M.Sc in Environmental Science from Kalyani University.  Her research interests includes, Variations in the ground reaching cosmic radiation, Cosmic radiation and climate change, Influence of solar activity in variations of ground reaching cosmic radiation variation, Ionizing radiation effects on plants, different stress reactions of ionizing radiation on plants, Radiation related disorders and stimulations, Environmental stress and impact analysis,  Different aspects environmental pollutions and Climate change. She is actively involved in research that may be evidenced in recent publications. She had published around 40 research papers and book chapters, participated in around 25 national and international seminars and guided around 30 M.Sc dissertations. She is reviewing many journals on a regular basis.  Besides these, she received awards and accolades from both at the national and international levels for her academic contributions. In addition she is a member of several research organizations and NGO’s working on different environmental problems.

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Published

2021-04-14

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Research Articles