NEW DELHI : India’s unprecedented nationwide lockdown to battle covid-19 has also opened up an unexpected opportunity—a chance for residents to open up their lungs and breathe in the cleanest air in about a decade.
With millions of vehicles that spew dust and harmful emissions off the roads, and factories shut for about three weeks, air pollution levels have plunged.
According to the government-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Delhi has seen a 51% reduction in PM2.5 and 49% reduction in PM10 since the lockdown.
Similar reductions were seen in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad. These fine particulate matter take a heavy health toll on people’s lives, aggravating conditions like asthma. “This is one huge