AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT DURING LOCKDOWN IN MEGA INDUSTRIAL CITIES IN INDIA: COVID-19 IMPACT

Abstract

Air Pollution is a major concern to the hazardous impact on human health as well as our Ecosystem. In the current pandemic situation of COVID-19, Restriction in various activities reduction in Air Pollution has been detected. In this study, For Investigation of the various Air Pollutants’ movements using Back Trajectory analysis using HYSPLIT 4 software was done. Furthermore, the Dispersion modelling analysis of the concentration of major Air Pollutants (NO2, PM2.5, SO2) due to the impact of Lockdown during the COVID-19 was done using NOOA Air Resource Laboratory sever. This study is incorporated to analyze the major sources of pollution and to track the probabilistic locations in the 27 days lockdown period in INDIA. In this analysis, Cities with high vehicular and Large Industries, i.e., Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, and Kolkata are considered. It provides how much extent Air Pollution can potentially be reduced. These findings are correlated with the socio-economic features and may help to improve current air pollution management strategies.