MONITORING AND ANALYSIS OF IMPROVEMENT IN AIR QUALITY IN DELHI/NCR, INDIA DURING THE SECOND WAVE LOCKDOWN OF COVID19
Abstract
Since the detection of first Covid 19 case in the month of December 2019 in the China, the corona virus has become a global pandemic within the short span of three months. The Indian Government declared lockdown in the month of march, 2020, which was aimed to prevent the spread of corona virus. These restrictions have led to improvements in air quality in Delhi/NCR throughout the country. Therefore, evaluation of the reduction in traffic and industrial emissions due to lockdown during COVID-19 constrain and its spread is crucial to define its impact on air pollution of the country. During this study of air pollution and progress of this paper, the concentration of pollution parameters was studied at a specific location during period of 1st May - 30th June 2021. The data on ground-based concentrations of pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2 CO and Ozone) obtained from air quality monitoring stations were also considered to study the changes air pollutants connected with the cessation of various kinds of commercial, transportation and industrial activities due to preventive measures for COVID-19. In this study of air pollution, the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and NO2, SO2 and CO were changed in the range from +108.3% to 205%, from +39% to +90%, from -46.25% to +56%, and -85% to -51.25% and from +94.93 to 95.69%. The data indicate a decrease in concentration at the specific location of Delhi/NCR during the COVID-19 restrictions period but again increased drastically after lockdown. The lockdown period played a vital role as a potential solution in the reduction in air pollution concentrations in future.
Key words: PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, Air Quality.
