City’s air quality improves amid lockdown
   Date :01-Apr-2020

Citys air quality _1 
 The otherwise busy Medical Square wears a deserted look during lockdown. (Pic by Satish Raut)
 
By Kaushik Bhattacharya :
 
Of 13 days of lockdown till March 18, city experienced good air quality almost all days 
 
The air quality in the city improved with a large number of vehicles remaining off the roads and shops closed due to the nation-wide lockdown enforced to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Normally, the air quality in Nagpur remains on satisfactory side throughout the year. However, the data from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) showed air quality in Nagpur is in good side till the lockdown is implemented from March 18. Government of Maharashtra imposed Section 144 and curfew all over the State from March 18 whereas Central Government’s lockdown commenced from March 23, one day after the ‘Janata Curfew’.
 

air quality chart_1  
 
The government has urged people to avoid unnecessary travelling, significantly reducing the traffic movement across the country. Similarly, industrial lockdown due to this outbreak also a major reason behind good air quality in the city. Civil Lines, Divisional Commissioner Office, North Ambazari Road, Hingna Road and Sadar are the Air Quality Stations in the city. In which Divisional Commissioner Office is the only station that provide daily real time data of the city. An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe. From March 18, the AQI of Nagpur have improved and out of twelve days, city’s air quality is recorded between 0-50. Where as the AQI of Nagpur in January, February and first half of March was between 51-100.
 
The level of Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) pollution, which can increase the risk of respiratory conditions, has also reduced. “Industrial slowdown and restriction on traffic are the only reason behind improvement of air quality in the city. It happened country wide but,” said Hema Deshpande, Sub Regional Officer (Nagpur I), MPCB. Slowing down the economy to such a degree is not the ideal way to bring down air pollution, but at least it proves that it can be done. Restricting vehicles on road will reduce the air pollution and this example of lockdown will lead many new aspects to reduce pollution in future.
 
Four out of five AQI stations in city not recording data till Jan 31 The work of Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring station is to collect data of latest air quality of any area. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in city have five AQI stations in which only one station is providing regular data from last two months. MPCB Regional Office, Civil Lines; Divisional Commissionerate Office; Institute of Engineers, North Ambazari Road; MIDC Office, Hingna Road and Government Polytechnic College, Sadar are the five AQI stations in the city in which Divisional Commissionerate Office is only providing regular data to MPCB and remaining four are not functioning from January 30. When asked about the issue to the MPCB Sub Regional Officer (Nagpur I) Hema Deshpande about the matter, she replied, “Divisional Commissionerate Office station provide data on real-time basis while remaining four works manually. We will enquire the reason behind the non-functioning of four stations available in the city.”