The healing of the earth amid this complete shutdown phase is much talked about nowadays. With all sources of pollution being kept at bay, the lockdown has been a boon to mother nature. The sky looks clear blue now, the air seems fresher. Many animals, who had been on an existential crisis due to industrialization, have found a new haven in this renewed earth. And the holy Ganga too, is symbolizing the same. Experts say that the overall water quality of Ganga has improved by about 40 to 50 per cent in the last few days.
How Is It Happening?
The main sources of water pollution in India are sewage discharged from industrial and domestic processes, oil spills, agricultural wastes and on a large-scale, non-biodegradable plastics. As all activities have been shut, the dumping of these unwanted wastes into the water bodies has eventually ceased. This has resulted in a sharp dip in the water pollution levels. As per news reports, ‘the purification process has started naturally, however, the level of water is still low. Once the water level rises, the Ganga will appear even cleaner.’
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What Else?
People of Kanpur and Varanasi have reported seeing an enriched appearance of the Ganga these days. Along with the Ganga, the condition of the Yamuna river is improving as well. Priests of Kanpur’s Parmat temple have stated that the Ganga was so contaminated earlier that they refrained from taking a plunge into it. However, now they have started bathing in the clean waters.
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The Ganga Action Plan had been launched in 1986 with the aim of decontaminating the water of the Ganges. But it could not do to the river in years what the lockdown did within a span of just 21 days. It is a clear sign that if the citizens of the country can act responsibly, the purity of India can be regained in no time.