India is home to some of the world’s most polluted cities, and for decades, you could not view the Himalaya Mountains. However, due to nationwide lockdown in India, residents can finally see the mountains again.
And even more importantly, they can breathe clean air.
After 30 years of intense air pollution, the Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal is known visible from the city of Jalandhar. Due to industries shutting down, construction projects halted, and cars off the road, air pollution has significantly dropped in major cities in India.
And it’s not just in India, cities around the globe are seeing similar trends.
No Comparision
Before the world shut down to contain the spread of COVID-19, India had the worst air pollution in the world. It was highly toxic to the residents who traveled through it.
In fact, there were days where pollution would make it unsafe to drive. The smog was simply too dense to see. It would cause pedestrians to mistakenly walk in the road and drivers would be unable to see them.
However, instead of a permanent smog covering the country like a blanket, residents can see the sky. There is simply nothing similar when it comes to before and after images that you can find online.
Will This Change Anything?
If it wasn’t clear before what the source of the country’s air pollution was, it could not be any clearer today…literally! However, even when armed with this knowledge, it is unlikely to change anything.
In fact, it is more likely that once the lockdown ends, the pollution will resume like normal. If the country wants to see permanent changes, regulations need to be put in place not only to protect the Earth but to protect the residents that work every day.
And this does not just apply to India as the entire world is getting the same message.
