Vile Parle In Mumbai Records Lowest Ever AQI of 13 For Almost 3 Consecutive Days

by Natasha Monteiro
Vile Parle In Mumbai Records Lowest Ever AQI of 13 For Almost 3 Consecutive Days

It is the time of lockdown! People have been asked to quarantine because the world is gripped with a pandemic so large, that most people of our generation have never even experienced one. We are living through unprecedented times, where nothing is as it was, and nothing will probably ever be. The fear of death looms above all our heads, and until a cure is found, or some way in which the virus can be curbed – our situation seems rather uncertain. With so much of negativity around, there are small buds of positivity that we can all cling to. And the one news we want to point out to today is the record drop in pollution in Vile Parle, a suburb in Mumbai. The otherwise bustling township has recorded a fabulous AQI (Air Quality Index) of 13, for almost 3 days in a row.

Vile Parle In Mumbai Records ‘Record AQI’

Environmentalists keep screaming day and night through social media, TV, blogs and what not – that we need to slow down or we won’t have a planet to leave to our future generations. We need to slow down or plastics will consume the Earth and its animals. We need to slow down or we will be soon living in a place, where we will never be able to breathe again. We didn’t listen and in an almost ironic twist of fate, a tiny molecular virus has caused the Earth to not just slow down, but halt completely. At a time when it was impossible to think of shutting down factories, of travelling by cars, and going on vacations – suddenly we are left without a choice. The complete shutdown is visible for everyone to see. Our Air Quality Index is better than ever. We are breathing cleaner air than ever before. A bustling city like Mumbai is recording an AQI that it has not seen in years. In fact Over 90 Indian Cities Have Recorded Minimal Air Pollution During Lockdown.

The Earth Is Healing

From dolphins swimming across waters, people coming together to sing, families spending quality time together at the comfort of their homes and nature recuperating from the clutches of pollution. Earth is repairing, #EarthIsHealing. It’s proof that our Earth is not damaged beyond repair… yet! If we all collectively do our parts, we will see change. Think again before using a plastic bag. STOP using straws forever. Make that effort to drink directly from the bottle or maybe use a glass. It’s all in the mindset, and we as humans, who sit right at the top of evolution are the ones who can bring about this difference. If we can alter our mindset to never leave the house and make things work from our 4 walls, then we definitely can alter our mind-set to guarantee that things continue to work in the world we live in. In less that 3 weeks of lockdown, the planet is blooming again. With the shut down of over-tourism, we are giving a chance for our land to heal. We are being forced to respect mother nature, and in turn we are already reaping the benefits.

Picture Credit: Ebird

An Appeal To Everyone

They say 21 days can cultivate a habit. So let’s do that then. Let’s make hope and a better environment our habit. If we can make do for 21 days, we can contribute to making the world better for the rest of our lives. Choose to say no to plastic choose to save water, NEVER use a straw again, carry recyclable bags, REDUCE the use of tissue and use a cloth where you can. It doesn’t have to be the big leaps. It’s always the small steps that count. If every one of us become just a little more conscious, we can all grow together towards a brighter and better future. Stay safe everyone and DO YOUR BIT.