The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences

Register      Login

VOLUME 64 , ISSUE 3 ( July-September, 2022 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

COVID-19 Lockdown and Improvement in Air Quality Index: A Learning Lesson

Rohit Kumar, Shibdas Chakrabarti, Dipak Bhattacharya

Keywords : Air pollution, Air quality index, Coronavirus disease 2019, Lockdown

Citation Information : Kumar R, Chakrabarti S, Bhattacharya D. COVID-19 Lockdown and Improvement in Air Quality Index: A Learning Lesson. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2022; 64 (3):199-206.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11007-0038

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 08-12-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: The basic requirements for human survival include air, food, and water; a decrease in quality of which has a deep impact on health. An increase in population with increasing globalization, industrialization, and increased energy demand has led to increased air pollution in cities world over. Multiple national programs to improve air quality have been unsuccessful. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-led lockdown is a large-scale experiment that is unprecedented and could not have been done at regular times. Indirect effects include cutting down emissions from industries, vehicles, and diesel generators. Materials and methods: In this ambispective observational study, we compared the air quality index (AQI) and levels of other pollutants in the two cities of Delhi and Kanpur during the period of the lockdown, the same period during the preceding year, and during the rainy season. Results: It was observed that the cities of India with notoriously polluted air, i.e., Delhi and Kanpur, had unprecedented improvement in air quality during lockdown (Delhi, AQI: 86.91 ± 32.38 vs 249.36 ± 60.25 and Kanpur, AQI: 81.60 ± 38.54 vs 137.06 ± 46.74). The improvement was even better than the preceding year's monsoon for Delhi. The AQI was comparable in both cities during the lockdown. Conclusion: The AQI was falling in the “satisfactory” range in both Delhi and Kanpur during the lockdown. This may, in turn, favorably unfold a reduction in the incidence, progression, and exacerbation of respiratory illnesses. This is an eye-opening change and calls for urgent action to maintain the same. Timely and well-framed steps should be sought; a revolutionary carbon-free and green energy economic model is much needed. Most air pollution is preventable and can be managed by humans if a stringent action plan is rolled out and implemented sternly by government agencies.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Wang LK, Pereira NC, Hung Y. Air Pollution Control Engineering. Totowa, New Jersey: Humana Press; 2004.
  2. Rumana HS, Sharma RC, Beniwal V, et al. A retrospective approach to assess human health risks associated with growing air pollution in urbanized area of Thar Desert, western Rajasthan, India. J Environ Health Sci Eng 2014;12(1):23. DOI: 10.1186/2052-336X-12-23.
  3. Yamamoto SS, Phalkey R, Malik AA. A systematic review of air pollution as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in South Asia: Limited evidence from India and Pakistan. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2014;217(2-3):133–144. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.08.003.
  4. Johnson DL, Ambrose SH, Bassett TJ, et al. Meanings of environmental terms. J Environment Qual 1997;26(3):581–589. DOI: 10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600030002x.
  5. Central Pollution Control Board Website (2020), available from https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI/. (accessed May 10, 2020).
  6. World weather online website (April 2020), available from https://www.worldweatheronline.com/.
  7. Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Acosta NJR, et al. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. Lancet 2018;391(10119):462–512. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32345-0.
  8. AQLI: India Fact Sheet, Available from https://aqli.epic.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/EPIC_IndiaFactSheet_V06-nobleeds.pdf. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  9. Bansal R. Health cost of air pollution in India assessed at 3 per cent of its GDP, available from https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health-cost-of-air-pollution-in-india-assessed-at-3-per-cent-of-its-gdp-41699. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  10. D'Amato G, Baena-Cagnani CE, Cecchi L, et al. Climate change, air pollution and extreme events leading to increasing prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases. Multidiscip Respir Med 2013;8(1):12. DOI: 10.1186/2049-6958-8-12.
  11. Allred EN, Bleecker ER, Chaitman BR, et al. Acute effects of carbon monoxide exposure on individuals with coronary artery disease. Res Rep Health Eff Inst 1989 (25):1–79. PMID: 2604918.
  12. Chen TM, Gokhale J, Shofer S, et al. Outdoor air pollution: nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide health effects. Am J Med Sci 2007;333(4):249–256. DOI: 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e31803b900f.
  13. Ghorani-Azam A, Riahi-Zanjani B, Balali-Mood M. Effects of air pollution on human health and practical measures for prevention in Iran. J Res Med Sci 2016;21:65. DOI: 10.4103/1735-1995.189646.
  14. Heinrich J, Hoelscher B, Frye C, et al. Improved air quality in reunified Germany and decreases in respiratory symptoms. Epidemiology 2002;13(4):394–401. DOI: 10.1097/00001648-200207000-00006.
  15. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules, 2015–The Gazette of India notification, 2015. (accessed May 16, 2020). https://moef. gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Thermal_plant_gazette_scan.pdf.
  16. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India: Energy efficiency improvements in the Indian brick industry, available from http://www.resourceefficientbricks.org/ (accessed May 16, 2020).
  17. Environment Ministry Launches a Regional Project to Tackle Stubble Burning, 2017, available from https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=174977. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  18. Government decides to directly shift from BS-IV to BS-VI Emission norms, 2016, available from https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=134232. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  19. Smart Cities, available from http://mohua.gov.in/cms/smart-cities.php. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  20. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, available from http://petroleum.nic.in/sites/default/files/PMUY_SchemeE.pdf. (accessed May 16, 2020).
  21. Jalan I, Dholaki HH. What is Polluting Delhi's Air? Understanding Uncertainties in Emissions Inventories. New Delhi: Council on Energy, Environment and Water (www.ceew.in); 2019, available from https://www.ceew.in/sites/default/files/CEEW_What_is_Polluting_Delhi_Air_Issue_Brief_PDF_12Apr19.pdf.
  22. Dube C. Air Quality At The 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008, available from https://china.usc.edu/air-quality-2008-beijing-olympics. (accessed May 14, 2020).
  23. Friedman MS, Powell KE, Hutwagner L, et al. Impact of changes in transportation and commuting behaviors during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta on air quality and childhood asthma. JAMA 2001;285(7):897–905. DOI: 10.1001/jama.285.7.897.
  24. India air pollution at ‘unbearable levels’, Delhi minister says. BBC News, 2019, available from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50280390. (accessed May 14, 2020).
  25. Kwak H-Y, Ko J, Lee S, Joh C-H. Identifying the correlation between rainfall, traffic flow performance and air pollution concentration in Seoul using a path analysis. Transp Res Proc 201725:3552–3563. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2017.05.288.
  26. Ground-level ozone in the 21st century: future trends, impacts and policy implications. London: The Royal Society, 2008, available from https://royalsociety.org/˜/media/Royal_Society_Content/policy/publications/2008/7925.pdf.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.