There have been debates on the preparedness and planning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before he announced a 21-day lockdown across the country. His decision sent hundreds of thousands of poor migrant workers into utter hardship as they were forced to walk back home on foot for hundreds of kilometers. However, one positive aspect of the lockdown has been the sharp reduction in air pollution since road and air transport have come to grinding halt. This was also evident in Punjab’s Jalandhar where residents could spot the Dhauladhar mountain hills of Himachal Pradesh for the first time in over 30 years even from a distance of 213 kilometers.
Many residents took to Twitter and other social media platforms to share a majestic view of the mountain range. Others were quick to stream the spectacle live on Facebook. Himachal Pradesh Tourism tweeted one video as it wrote, “Jalandhar residents have a view of snow-capped mountains. This is with a dramatic dip in Air pollution levels due to lockdown. Senior citizens say it was almost after a generation that the mountains have invisible in the City.”
Jalandhar residents have a view of snow-capped mountains. This is with a dramatic dip in Air pollution levels due to lockdown. Senior citizens say it was almost after a generation that the mountains have invisible in the City.
Video Courtesy: The Tribune pic.twitter.com/f1mnXIuIod
— Himachal Tourism (@hp_tourism) April 3, 2020
Such is the impact of lockdown on air pollution that even cities like Delhi and Noida have had blue sky for several days now. Delhi has earned notoriety for being one of the most polluted cities in the world.
The current lockdown is likely to end on 14 April. The measure was adopted to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has claimed 68 lives in India. 2,650 people across India have tested positive for the deadly virus.