7 COVID-19: Disaster or an Opportunity …
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Fig. 7.3 Concentration of sulphur dioxide in India between April 2019 and April
2020. Source https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/06/Sulphur_dioxide_concentra
tions_over_India. Copyright contains modified Copernicus data (2019–20), processed by BIRAIASB
The darker shades of red and purple indicate greater concentrations of sulphur
dioxide in the atmosphere, while the black dots indicate the locations of the large,
coal-fired power plants. Notably over New Delhi compared to the previous year,
sulphur dioxide concentrations have dropped significantly.
Delhi and Mumbai saw a drop of 40–50% in nitrogen dioxide concentration
in comparison to the same time of last year, i.e. 25 March–20 April 2019 and 25
March–20 April 2020 as shown in Fig. 7.4 [20].
Like India, there was a drastic decrease in the concentration of air pollutants in
European countries specifically in cities of Paris, Madrid, and Milan as shown in
Fig. 7.5 from the images obtained from ESA, Copernicus Sentinel 5-P Satellite [21].
The concentration of air pollutants though was found to decrease during lockdown
but gradually will increase during the unlock period. The risk of COVID-19 infection
is found to increase with air pollution, therefore the use of alcohol-based sterilizers
and masks have been strongly suggested. The master plan must be adapted by international and national bodies during post lockdown to revive the Mother Nature.
Many times ecological disturbances on the planet such as endemic and pandemic are
created by the human activities for which man has to repent [75].
177
Fig. 7.3 Concentration of sulphur dioxide in India between April 2019 and April
2020. Source https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/06/Sulphur_dioxide_concentra
tions_over_India. Copyright contains modified Copernicus data (2019–20), processed by BIRAIASB
The darker shades of red and purple indicate greater concentrations of sulphur
dioxide in the atmosphere, while the black dots indicate the locations of the large,
coal-fired power plants. Notably over New Delhi compared to the previous year,
sulphur dioxide concentrations have dropped significantly.
Delhi and Mumbai saw a drop of 40–50% in nitrogen dioxide concentration
in comparison to the same time of last year, i.e. 25 March–20 April 2019 and 25
March–20 April 2020 as shown in Fig. 7.4 [20].
Like India, there was a drastic decrease in the concentration of air pollutants in
European countries specifically in cities of Paris, Madrid, and Milan as shown in
Fig. 7.5 from the images obtained from ESA, Copernicus Sentinel 5-P Satellite [21].
The concentration of air pollutants though was found to decrease during lockdown
but gradually will increase during the unlock period. The risk of COVID-19 infection
is found to increase with air pollution, therefore the use of alcohol-based sterilizers
and masks have been strongly suggested. The master plan must be adapted by international and national bodies during post lockdown to revive the Mother Nature.
Many times ecological disturbances on the planet such as endemic and pandemic are
created by the human activities for which man has to repent [75].