As India asks its citizens to stay home and practice social distancing, nearly everything from factories, markets, shops, places of worship and public transport stand suspended and the biggest advantage of it all has been?in the improvement of air quality in cities across the country.
According to reports, the main cities are recording much lower levels of harmful microscopic particulate matter known as PM 2.5, and of nitrogen dioxide, which is released by vehicles and power plants.
Out of the 91 cities that showed minimal pollution, as many as 30 cities recorded 'good' air quality while 61 cities recorded 'satisfactory' air quality, the report showed.??
So much so,?Dhauladhar range, which is part of a Himalayan chain of mountains in Himachal Pradesh, has become visible to the people of Jalandhar, which is in Punjab.?
The range which stands 200km away from Jalandhar was visible after nearly 30 years!?
¡°This Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal , seen after 30 years, from Jalandhar(Punjab) after pollution drops to the lowest level in 30 years. This is approx. 200 km away straight,¡±?wrote a Twitter user?and shared an image. It was also shared by IFS officer Sushant Nanda. ¡°What nature was¡And what we had done to it,¡± Nanda wrote.?
¡°A mesmerizing view of Dhauladhar Mountain range in Himachal Pradesh from my home in Jalandhar, Punjab... result of improved air quality and decrease in pollution levels only because of #21daylockdown,¡± wrote another Twitter user and shared an image.
According to The Indian Express, Ludhiana, which is among the most polluted cities of the country, was the cleanest city of India on March 23 with air quality index (AQI) of 35, according to the data sourced from the central pollution control board (CPCB)¡¯s app ¡®Sameer¡¯.??
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