Air and water quality levels improve with ongoing curfew

COLOMBO (News 1st):- Sri Lanka’s quality levels of air and water have improved with the curfew imposed due to COVID – 19. According to data provided by the air quality monitor at the US Embassy, Colombo’s air quality levels stood at 50 as at 5 pm today (April 4).  This means it has a moderate rating. H.D.S. Premasiri, a senior scientist at the National Building Research Organisation told News 1st that the air quality has improved due to the reduction in the movement of vehicles as a result of the curfew. He recalled that air pollution levels were much higher prior to the imposition of curfew. The country’s air quality levels plummeted in November last year, posing a risk to sensitive groups, a situation expert said had been caused due to smog in neighboring India. The Central Environmental Authority said the quality of the water in the Kelani river had improved due to a drop in industrial effluents being released into the waterways. The CEA in a statement observed that the turbidity levels of water in the 145-kilometer long Kelani river which cuts across five districts had remained positive unlike any other period in the recent past.