Himalayas Visible From Northern India as COVID-19 Lockdown Dramatically Reduces Pollution

Himalaya mountains can be seen from Jalandhar since pollution has reduced in Punjab. Beautiful sight 😍#punjab #COVID19 #pollution pic.twitter.com/iZy7hwxX9R

— TjSingh (@covsinghtj) April 3, 2020

According to Jyoti Pande Lavakare, co-founder of the Indian environmental organization Care For Air, the lack of recent pollution proves that much of that pollution had been the result of human activity. “Obviously,” he said, “slowing down the economy to such a degree isn’t the ideal way of bringing down air pollution, but at least it proves that it can be done, if the intention is there.”

It’s estimated that the lockdown improved the air quality index to satisfactory levels in around 90 percent of the 103 cities monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board. Last month, only half of the cities monitored had satisfactory air.

In the state of Punjab’s Jalandhar district, resident Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said, “We can see the snow-covered mountains clearly from our roofs. And not just that, stars are visible at night. I have never seen anything like this in recent times.”

The same mountains from my home 😍 #Nozoom pic.twitter.com/4zHwyoMp4R

— Abbu Pandit (@abbu_pandit) April 3, 2020

Besides being simply a morale booster, the clearer conditions also serve a beneficial medical purpose. Air pollution exacerbates issues from respiratory diseases, making coronavirus patients more likely to develop complications.

India’s clean air might be short-lived, however. Once India emerges from the lockdown, its factories start working again, and transportation picks up, the pollution is likely to return. For now, India is on lockdown until April 15.