In April, amidst the economic distress caused by the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Delhi residents noticed a r...
In April, amidst the economic distress caused by the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Delhi residents noticed a rare phenomenon: blue skies.
As econonomic activity ground to a halt, most factories stayed shut, construction projects were suspended and there were barely any vehicles on the streets. As a consequence, most of the sources that scientists had identified as causing atmospheric pollution in the Capital declined sharply.
This transformed the city – among the most polluted in the world – into a giant, real-life laboratory for researchers. Said MP George, a scientist at Delhi Pollution Control Committee: “It is the rarest set of data that policy makers and standard makers can use.”
So what did researchers learn from the low pollution levels during the summer lockdown? And as levels rise again, already hitting the “severe” mark on the weekend, what can this research tell us about developing strategies to control pollution and manage risk?
What the data shows
Over the years, there have been several studies about the poor air quality in Delhi. Sources of pollutants in the city range from “vehicles, re-suspended dust, industrial activities, burning of coal, dung and wood for cooking and heating...” noted a recent paper in Read more
