The COVID-19 lockdown in India revealed several important facts: 1) India has far fewer government doctors per capita than countries like the UK, exacerbating the low public health capacity during the pandemic. 2) Lockdowns significantly improved air quality in cities like Delhi by reducing air pollutants like PM 2.5, showing the major contribution of vehicle emissions to pollution. 3) Work from home becoming widespread could significantly impact commercial real estate, transportation, and urban planning by reducing the need for commuting.

1. Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
We asked experts, "Which fact
about India did the COVID-19
lockdown reveal or highlight to
you?” This is what they said.

2. From: Yogesh Upadhyaya (@uppi89)
Founder, www.AskHowIndia.org
Source: https://bit.ly/3gqKhpL
It is clearly silly to directly
compare the number of
infected or number of deaths
in India with that in most
other countries, given the
difference in population size.
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
138.2 cr pop. 134.5 cr pop.
INDIA AFRICA

3. From: Dr. M. R. Madhavan, President PRS Legislative Research
Source: National Health Profile 2019, CBHI, DGHS for India; NHS
Digital for government doctors and ONS for population in UK
GOVT. HOSPITALS
PRIVATE CLINICS
There is one government
doctor for 10,926 people in
India, whereas the
corresponding number is
555 in the UK. With many
private clinics and hospitals
curtailing their services, the
low public sector capacity
could not cope with the peak
load in many cities!
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
? ?

4. From: S R Ramanujam, Founder, Samtva
Source: https://go.cms.gov/31gnC9i
https://bit.ly/33sHed5
The magnitude and quality of
response of the two countries should
be compared keeping this difference
in mind.
PER CAPITA HEALTH SPENDING (US) PER CAPITA INCOME (INDIA)
$2,160
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
Per capita income in PPP terms = $6,630.
India per capita Income = $ 2,160
US Per Capita health spending = $11,172.

5. From: Dr. Sarath Guttikunda (@UrbanEmissions)
Founder, urbanemission.info
Source: https://bit.ly/39REtTQ
After the lockdown began, in
Delhi the lowest daily
average of PM 2.5, a deadly
air pollutant, was 20 μg/m3,
with an average of 35 μg/m3.
For 2017-2019, the monthly
average PM2.5 level for
March was 100-140 μg/m3.
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
2017 - 2019
AVERAGE 100-140 μg/m3 AVERAGE 35 μg/m3
DURING LOCKDOWN

6. From: Dr. Sarath Guttikunda (@UrbanEmissions)
Founder, urbanemission.info
Source: https://bit.ly/3fsZpS0
For cities in Punjab like
Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala
and Chandigarh, outside
contribution is more than
50%. On average, 30% of the
observed PM2.5 pollution in
the 60 cities is regional in
nature, originating outside
city limits.
AMRITSAR
LUDHIANA
PATIALA
CHANDIGARH
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W

7. From: Sandeep Achantani, Entrepreneur
Source: https://bit.ly/30sFK0y
There were many articles on
Yamuna getting cleaned
because of lockdown. However,
investigation by CPCB suggests
that the reason was excess
water due to snow melt and not
the lockdown. Industries
contribute to less than 5% of
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
(BOD) load pollution of Yamuna.
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
WASTE WATER
FROM HOUSES
CLOSED
FACTORIES
Y A M U N A
STP STP
STP
HOUSING

8. From: Anirudha Dutta (@DuttaAnirudha), Financial Analyst
Source: https://bit.ly/2PNCiaG
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
Lockdown forced companies to try out Work
From Home. This natural experiment will
have consequences even when things return
to normal. The fact that people can work
from home instead of commuting will have
an impact on commercial real estate,
residential real estate, public transportation,
meal services to offices, eateries, gyms and
entertainment focused on office districts
and even the shape of cities! The full impact
may well be beyond our imagination!
EFFECTS OF MAJOR SHIFT TO WORKING FROM HOME
FALL IN PRICES
OF COMMERCIAL
& RETAIL
REAL ESTATE
FALL IN ROAD
CONGESTION
& POLLUTION
MIGRATION OUT OF
EXPENSIVE CITIES
?

9. From: Sujay Shetty (@SujayShetty_), Partner, India Pharma
Leader PWC.
Source: https://bit.ly/30t5dqs
The Covid-19 epidemic disrupted
supply chains and we found out
that even the mighty Indian
Pharma industry was not
immune to this disruption.
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
INDIAN PHARMA DEPENDS
50% OF IMPORTS
THUS HIGHLYVULNERABLE TO
DISRUPTION OF SUPPLY CHAIN
INDIA CHINA
COVID-19

10. Migrants were impacted a lot
by the lockdown and going
forward businesses will be
impacted by their absence.
One reason that most
governments were unable to
address the concern of
migrant workers was that
they did not even know how
many were there in large
cities!
Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
From: Pramad Jandhyala,
Entrepreneur and Founding Member, AskHow India
Source: https://bit.ly/3gwFnrn

11. Re-Discovery of India | F A C T S Y O U S H O U L D K N O W
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