Manu S. (@s_manu6314) writes today’s diary entry—
As the saying goes, if bad things happen good things will follow. I am sure in this pandemic not everyone will die. More than the deaths people are scared by the increasing spread which is what has called for this lockdown.
India has 21 out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world. There have been protests to take strict action to reduce pollution in Delhi. The government even banned some old vehicles from the streets but it did not work. In the end people had to wear masks to even to breathe clean air. This pandemic shut down our railways, airports, metros and road traffic and the pollution has automatically reduced in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
According to SAFAR (System of Air quality and weather Forecasting And Research), in Indian cities PM2.5 (particulate matter pollution) levels and nitrogen oxide (NOX) levels are coming down to satisfactory numbers. NOX is the main culprit behind the increased risk of respiratory problems these days. Over these 15 days of lockdown, NOX level have reduced in Delhi by 60%, in Mumbai by 60%, in Ahmadabad by 32% and in Pune by 62%. All these cities have reached a satisfactory level of air quality.
If this lockdown continues there is hope that pollution would reduce to safe levels. After the lockdown, everything will be reappear. The people and the government should experience this good environment and realise their faults. Some sever action must be taken by our governments to reduce pollution. I hope that long after this pandemic we can all continue to experience an unpolluted atmosphere.