ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE TAKEN PLACE AT THE TIME OF COVID-19

It is true that coronavirus has caught the world unawares. This is the world’s worst health crisis
in 100 years. COVID-19 has affected our daily lives ranging from social distancing to travel bans.
But a part of this is also true that it has affected our environment in a positive way.
The measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19 such as quarantine and shutdowns has
led to a significant drop in the level of air pollutions. The level of harmful elements like CO2 and
CO have plunged. The satellites of NASA and European agency has detected a marked decrease
the airborne NO2. It’s been reported that if the same continues, it will lead to the first decrease
in global emissions since 2008 global financial crisis. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) for
cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata have stayed within two digits.
Particularly in India, due to reduced level of water pollution, some critically endangered species
like Ganges Dolphin have been spotted back after 30 years at the Ganga Ghats of Kolkata. Tens
of thousands of Flamingos have gathered in the city of Navi Mumbai. The water of Ganga in
Haridwar has been classified as fit for drinking water after decades. All of these simply explains
that our mother earth is healing and wildlife is rejuvenating.
It has positive affect on our vegetation also. With no or less human interference, plants are
growing at a much faster rate. They are allowed to thrive and produce more oxygen which is
good in the long run for the environment.
From earth’s point of view, we were literally damaging our nature directly or indirectly by
global warming, deforestation, surge in plastic usages. Coronavirus is eventually developed
from earth. And this is the turning point earth needed to heal itself.