Coronavirus impact: Time to maintain air quality post lockdown

The nationwide lockdown that kicked in on March 25 is having a positive effect on the environment With millions of cars off the streets factories closed construction activities at a halt India is witnessing the cleanest air we have breathed in over two decadesIndia has 21 of the worlds top 30 cities with the worst pollution levels The lockdown has brought a steady dip in the Air Quality Index AQI with average levels hovering around 60 In cities like Delhi this number was well over 400 hazardous during peak winterThe planA new video by Jhatkaaorg released on the 60th day May 23 of Indias lockdown aims to get this message across Titled SaalBhar60 the video calls on citizens to participate in a nationwide digital movement on June 5 mdash World Environment Day by sharing photos demanding clean air for allRidhima Pandey 12yearold climate activistAccording to the National Clean Air Programme NCAP India has 122 nonattainment cities mdash cities that dont meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards Maharashtra tops this list with 18 cities in the stateThe initiative invites citizens to participate in the biggest digital movement the country has seen demanding Saal Bhar 60 mdash asking the government to put in place concrete measures to ensure the air quality in India remains within permissible healthy standards even after the lockdown endsThe video features 12yearold climate activist from Dehradun Ridhima Pandey who was one of the 16 children alongside Greta Thunberg to petition the UN in September last year on governments inaction towards combating climate changeA recent IIT Delhi study states that if the low pollution levels India experiences during the lockdown are maintained it could bring down the countrys death toll by 65 lakhWhat comes nextThis week as lockdown norms were eased the air quality levels in Delhi spiked to 200 This confirms our worst fears in a postlockdown world While we saw nature begin its healing what comes next Do we go back to experiencing toxic air and the serious health repercussions it has We have made strides towards acknowledging the severity of the problem mdash as evidenced by initiatives like NCAP But we need concrete statewise planning and implementation for Saal Bhar 60 to be a reality And no better time for that than now Shikha Kumar campaigns manager Jhatkaaorg saidIn the past two months it felt like all things my generation has been fighting were gifted to us mdash blue skies low emissions clean air This only means that an AQI of Saal Bhar 60 is possible Our government needs to treat it like the emergency and have strict timelines for bringing down pollution levels Breathing clean air is a basic right says Ridhima Pandey122No of nonattainment cities India hasData for MumbaiAs per a report by SAFAR between March and April Mumbai has witnessed maximum percentage reduction of two pollutants mdash nitrogen dioxide NO2 and particulate matter PM 25 While the city saw a 76 per cent drop in NO2 there was a 54 per cent drop on PM25AQI of Mumbai for last 11 daysMay 13 54May 14 48May 15 51May 16 55May 17 90May 18 79May 19 56May 20 28 Lowest AQI for Mumbai recorded in 2020 so farMay 21 36May 22 30May 23 32AQI for pollutants050 range Good51100 range Satisfactory101200 Moderate201300 Poor301400 Very PoorAbove 400 SevereWhat is AQIAir quality index AQI is an index for reporting air quality on a daily basis It is a measure of how air pollution affects ones health within a short time period The purpose of the AQI is to help people know how the local air quality impacts their healthCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news