Jaipur, April 15: The air quality at most places in Rajasthan improved significantly after imposition of the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday. The state Pollution Control Board chairman, Pawan Kumar Goyal, said the stringent restrictions imposed on travelling and the discontinuation of non-essential activities led to the big improvement in air quality at several places in Rajasthan.

He said the air quality index (AQI) at all stations in the state is now satisfactory, but earlier it used to be between poor and satisfactory categories. The maximum improvement in the AQI was recorded in Bhiwadi with a reduction of around 70 per cent in major pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides, Goyal said. Rajasthan Extends Coronavirus Lockdown Till May 1 Amid Exponential Rise in COVID-19 Cases Across India.

The state PCB chief said the major factors of air pollution include transportation, industry, power plants, construction activities, burning of biomass, dust-suspension and other residential activities.

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