Weather maps show how India’s Coronavirus lockdown is helping people breathe a little better

• Weather maps generated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) supercomputers show that pollution over India is considerably lower this year than it was last year.
• The maps show less PM 2.5 and PM 10 polluting matter in the atmosphere.
• Delhi, deemed the most polluted capital city in the world in February, has dipped slightly to reach the ‘satisfactory’ level today.

Indian skies are breathing freely as factories stop billowing smoke and flyovers are no longer jam packed with cars. The world's biggest lockdown has 1.3 million people staying at home, but it's not all bad.

Weather maps generated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) supercomputers show that pollution over India is considerably lower this year than it was during the same time, last year.

Blue is the lower end of the scale when particulate matter (PM) is less, and the higher it gets — the redder it is. Last year, most of the peninsular country was shrouded in red on 30 March 2019. However, this year, the skies mostly look blue, even on the ground.

Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

As recently as February this year, 21 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world were located in India, according to Air Visual’s annual report. It ranked Delhi as the most polluted capital city in the world. In fact, from October to late November 201 was one of the longest periods of hazardous air that Delhi has had to bear consistently. The local government declared it a public health emergency and schools were shut down to keep children safe at home.

Today, while Delhi’s AQI cruises at around 62, China’s capital Beijing is currently at 155, according to AQICN. Some areas in Delhi, like Chandi Chowk, even reported the AQI dipping as low as 40, which falls in the 'good' category.

According to pollution monitoring service SAFAR, excitement over pollution-free skies may be short-lived. The signature Delhi haze may soon return once the lockdown is over.

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