Lockdown to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Opportunity to Create a Less Polluted Environment in India

Keeping aside the economic consequences, imposition of strict lockdown in order to break chain deadly infection SARS-CoV-2, has potentially improved global environmental quality by facilitating a significant reduction atmospheric pollution. In present study, level pollutants India viz., NO2, AOD, and PM2.5 before during 2020 were assessed compared using standard methods. The study revealed NO2 i.e., > 10% change 73.71% parts along with high negative anomaly AOD (< –1.0 32.92% India) primarily Indo-Gangetic Plains, western, southern, eastern lockdown. five megacities observed sharp decline daily mean concentration (ca. 32% (Delhi) 59.62% (Bengaluru) as analogous period 2019. exhibited very less contribution seasonal meteorological variables abatement pollution period. findings may be useful guiding future strategies maintain adopting well-planned strategy.