NEW DELHI : The first lockdown imposed in India last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic led to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in land surface temperature in major urban areas of the country, according to a study.The findings, published in the journal Environmental Research, provide a strong evidence for potential environmental benefits through larger scale policy implementation.The study found that travel and work restrictions imposed early in the pandemic resulted in a significant environmental improvement, due to an abrupt reduction in industrial activities and a major decrease in the use of land and air transport.The researchers used data from a range of Earth observation sensors, including those from the European Space.