Lockdown and Air Pollution

Why in news?

The nationwide lockdown and halting of most economic activities as a way to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about significant improvements in air quality across the country.

Fall in Pollution levels

• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data analysed from the second phase of Lockdown indicates a sudden reduction in pollutant levels across the country including in some of the most polluted cities.
• New Delhi being one of the most polluted Capital saw a 46% drop in PM 2.5 levels across its 35 monitoring locations. Other cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Lucknow have reported a decrease in the range of 18% to 30% during the lockdown period. Similar drastic decline is seen in PM 10 values across the cities.
• There is a significant drop in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration above 50% in most cities including smaller ones, chiefly due to reduced vehicle movement.
• Sulphur dioxide, another polluting gas mostly released by burning of coal, oil and gas, either in vehicles or in power plants and other industries also registered a big drop.
• This can mostly be attributed to stringent travel restrictions, shutting of most industries and halting commercial and construction activity.

Major takeaways

• Particulate matter measurements show that contribution from combustion and incinerators has dropped. The real time analysis also shows contribution from tyre wear on road dropping close to insignificant. 
• Urgent retrofitting of flue gas desulphurisation units in thermal power plants is necessary as thermal plants are likely to continue in the near future.
• With regards to automobile industry filling the gap with an electric vehicle-specific stimulus package could be an interim solution to improving air quality.
• Waste generation decreased and irresponsible dumping of waste has nearly stopped, which has much to do with fall in air pollution. 
• As it is stressed always, innovation in crop residue management is necessary to manage stubble burning, which is a major source of air pollution in National Capital Region (NCR).
• This self-healing of the environment and ecosystem in very short duration points to the scale of damage we inflict on them on a daily basis.
• According to a World Health Organisation report, the combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution are responsible for 70,00,000 deaths every year — largely as a result of increased mortality caused by heart diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
• This points to the need for reduction and management of air pollution, considering its impact on environment and mortality which is comparable or much larger than the COVID-19 pandemic itself.