7 Crazy Things That Have Happened For The First Time In Years During The Coronavirus Lockdown
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
Time is said to be the best healer on the planet and the coronavirus lockdown has proven it more than anything else. As restaurant, tourism and other major polluting industries shut down, there have been a tonne of positive environmental changes. It has been observed all across the globe (like in Venice) and a massive reduction in air pollution is observed in many global cities. India too is not far behind on the list and there are many things we are witnessing for the first time in a very long time. While it is remarkable to witness these seemingly miraculous appearances, it’s also important to note that this is only happening due to the lockdown and other enforcements:
1. The Himalayas Are Visible From Saharanpur For The First Time In 30 Years
Saharanpur is a small town in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Himalayan mountain range, one of our pride and joys is now visible from the little town due to a drastic drop in the air pollution levels. The person who had shared the original image on social media spoke about how this was the result of the decreasing pollution and intermittent rains. This helped clear the air up enough to catch a beautiful glimpse of the magnificent sight! The mountain ranges are believed to be located about 150 to 200 kms away from the township.
2. Olive Ridley Turtles Returned To Odisha Beaches After 7 Years
Olive Ridley Turtles returned to the beaches of Ganjam district in Odisha. People were awestruck by the rare sight as Olive Ridley Turtles are known for being majorly nocturnal. According to a forest official, about 2000 pregnant Olive Ridley Turtles came ashore and stayed there until the evening of Sunday. He claimed that over one lakh mother Olive Ridley Turtles had nested.
3. Critically Endangered South Asian River Dolphins Return To The Rivers Of Kolkata
The South Asian River Dolphin is more popularly known as the Ganges Dolphin. It is the only river-dwelling freshwater dolphin on this planet and thus is an extremely rare species to be spotted. These mammals have been found in the River Hooghly which is located approximately 40 kms away from the city of Kolkata. According to reports, the dolphins hadn’t been spotted in Kolkata in nearly 3 decades.
4. In Haridwar It Is Fit To Drink From The River Ganga For The First Time In Many Years
Like some of the other lifelines of India, the river Ganga too is said to be extremely polluted and choked up. This has happened due to years of human neglect and carelessness. For decades the Ganga has been treated like a trash bag by people and has been unfit for bathing, forget human consumption. However, the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board had tested the water recently and discovered that it had shown a significant improvement.
5. Frothing Reduces In The Vrishabhavathi River After Decades
The water of the Vrishabhavathi river is finally crystal clear for the first time in decades. The river is located on the outskirts of the megacity, Bangalore and runs from somewhere mid city through Kengeri Satellite Town. The river bore the brunt of being located near a city like Bangalore and was highly polluted before the COVID-19 lockdown. The water was said to be frothy, in addition to being black in color. It stank for ages and people found it very unpleasant to be near the river.
6. For The First Time In Five Years Delhi’s AQI Drops
Delhi is known notorious for being one of the most polluted cities in the entire world. However, due to many MNCs and factories shutting down, the city has been in much better shape. The air has cleared out so much that residents can actually see a smog free sky. On the 25th of March the overall AQI for Delhi dropped to 88 instead of its regular triple digits.
7. Residents Of Jalandhar Too Woke Up To The Sight Of Snow Capped Mountains
Many residents of Jalandhar were left shocked to see the snow-capped Himalayan mountains after just 11 days of being under lockdown! The Dhauladhar Mountain Range is located about 213 kms away from the town of Jalandhar. Many residents were even able to capture the marvelous scenery from the roofs of their own homes.
While the world is left grappling to come to terms with the impacts this virus has had on our lives, we can at least be assured that the planet is getting the rest it deserves and needs. As we go further into this pandemic many of us will have to open up to the possibility of having a “new normal”. As they say, nothing will ever be the same again. Do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
