According to officials, pollution has decreased by asmuch as 60 per cent while the maximum temperature has dippedby 4 degrees Celsius, mainly due to several lakh vehiclesremaining off the roads since March 25.
Indore, a city of 30 lakh people, has so far seen1,029 COVID-19 cases, with 55 people dying of the infection.
"Since April 1, pollution has gone down by 60 per centcompared to the corresponding period last year. This isobviously because of the lockdown. Vehicles are off the roadsand industrial and commercial units are shut, all of whichhave reduced greenhouses gases and other pollutants," Dr DilipWagela, head of Indore-based State Pollution Control Board'sregional laboratory, told on Friday.
Senior Meteorologist Vedprakash Singh Chandel of theIMD's Bhopal office said maximum temperature had dipped hereduring the lockdown.
Singh said his analysis was based on studying Apriltemperature patterns for the past eight years in Indore.
"During th past 8 years, in the first fortnight ofApril, the maximum temperature was in the 38-42 degreesCelsius range. Now, it is in the 36-38 degrees Celsius range,"he said.
"In the second fortnight, for the past 8 years, thetemperature has been between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius. It iscurrently between 39-41 degrees Celsius," he added. HWPLAL MASBNM BNM