Yes, it isn’t the best of times. But with people quarantined and human activity minimised, this lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus has brought a certain beauty with it. Well, the beauty has always been around, only shrouded in air, water and noise pollution. Now, a month into the restrictions, we’re already seeing signs that the Earth is healing:
1. Water in the Ganga is now clean enough to drink
Despite its sacred status and various rejuvenation plans, the Ganga remained a severely polluted river. But with industries shut and no effluents flowing into the river, plus lack of activity at the ghats due to the lockdown, the Ganga is now cleaner than ever. So much so that the water at Har Ki Pauri, the famous ghat on the banks of the river in Haridwar, has been now declared fit for drinking. Even in Varanasi, with factories shut and no one bathing or using the ghat as a public toilet, the river water has improved by “40 to 50 percent”.
2. The Yamuna is free of foam
We must have all seen those infamous images of devotees during Chhat Puja taking a dip in filthy water nearly invisible beneath toxic foam. But in just a month, the Yamuna has transformed to such an extent that it’s nearly unrecognisable. Shutting down factories, which in turn cut off the discharge of industrial pollutants into the river, did more in 30 days than what any cleanup mission could do in years.
3.Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Bangkok, Los Angeles… can breathe
With many countries imposing lockdowns and curbing most human activity over the last few months, residents of several cities around the world have had a much-needed breather. Literally. This drop in pollution levels due to a decline in air travel, road traffic and other business activities has been observed across Europe, including in Italy, France and the United Kingdom, as well as in China, India, Colombia, Brazil and the United States. In China, per estimates, the drop in air-pollution may even have saved over 77,000 lives.
4. You can spot the Himalayas from Punjab
In Punjab, cleaner air isn’t the only perk of a drop in air pollution. For the first time in 30 years—literally the first time for many—residents of Jalandhar could see the Dhauladhar range over 200km away, all the way in Himachal Pradesh. It was earlier in April that residents were stunned stupid by the sheer beauty of the Himalayas, for years obscured behind smog from stubble burning.
5. With humans in, wildlife is out
Goats in Wales, ducks in Paris, peacocks in Mumbai. Animals the world over appear to be making the most of the lack of human presence, venturing out to spaces they would usually steer clear of. From Wales and Chile to Japan and Mumbai—wildlife are taking advantage of the unfamiliar quiet and having some fun of their own.