10 Positive things that happened during lockdown:

Also, check out my Youtube channel, do subscribe :) - Harshita Solanki

Coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on everybody around the world. A huge number or deaths have been caused and similarly a huge number of people have been infected by this deadly virus. But just like a coin has 2 sides of it, so does this virus. Coronavirus has taught us a huge number of lessons – positives and negatives. I already wrote a poem about mental health of people during lockdown and about lives gone because of the same. But this article is about some positive things that have taken place during the lockdown.

1. Eating healthy

We are taking a lot of precautions just to avoid the infection of coronavirus and therefore we try our best to avoid street food, or junk food from outside. Also, when the lockdown started eatables from outside were not allowed as most of the restaurants were closed because of safety purposes. Hence, people started to cook food at home because they were certain that home cooked food is full of cleanliness and hygiene.

2. Spending time with family

While some families struggled to live together due to space issues, others got time to strengthen their relationships with family members by doing together activities like cooking, cleaning, watching television, playing indoor games. It is very important to spend time with our family and people realized its importance during lockdown.

3. Less vehicles = Less pollution

During the lockdown, people were only allowed to move out of their houses to buy essential goods or in times of emergency due to which the number of vehicles on roads were very less which surely had a great positive impact on environment due to less pollution. There was a lot on strictness on roads and borders concerned with the movement of vehicles which benefitted the environment.

4. Time for ourselves

During the lockdown, people actually got time for themselves. People got spare time to perform their hobbies like dancing, singing, art, craft, reading, writing etc. Lockdown helped people to use their time constructively. Performing favorite hobbies while self-isolating ourselves. We also got many new things to learn and discover which gave positive vibes to our minds.

5. Improvement in air-quality index

Amid Covid-19 pandemic, when the lockdown was imposed, just after a few days changes in the air quality index could be felt due to decrease in pollution as movement of vehicles was prohibited. The concentration of PM10 & PM2.5 reduced up to half % as compared to pre lockdown. There was noticeable decline of carbon dioxide in the air.

6. Himalayan Ranges seen after 30 years

People reacted with an awe at the sight of Himalayan ranges being visible from Jalandhar after 30 years. Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal was visible due to decrease in the pollution. These mountains are up to 200 kilometers away from Jalandhar. This happened because vehicles and flights were prohibited and industries were shut down due to which air pollution level dropped.

7. Clean water in Yamuna

The shut down of industries and factories during the lockdown has considerably led a positive impact on water quality of Yamuna. The toxic effluents and chemicals were not discharged in the rivers due to shut down and therefore clean water could be seen flowing in Yamuna after a long time.

8. Drinking water from Ganga

With people staying indoors and industries being shut down, scientists have claimed that the river Ganga, flowing through Varanasi & Haridwar, has shown remarkable improvement and the water is even fit for drinking. The water quality has increased as people have been using it less and toxic chemicals from the industries and factories are not being discharged.

Lockdown diaries- drinking water in Ganga

9. Advantages to Animals

Lives of many species are in danger due to corona virus but on the another hand a lot of species have benefitted. Wildlife has faced less human disturbance, traffic and other polluting effluents.

The following animals have benefitted from the lockdown:

· Wild bees have benefitted from the decline of pollution.

· Caracals seen in gardens, South Africa

· The whales have spread out more widely because movement of ships had been prohibited.

· Dolphins found swimming & jumping in Bosphorus, Istanbul.

· Thousands of pink flamingos seen hovering over waters at Narta Lagoon.

10. Change in use of technology

Attending meetings at home made us realize that we don’t have to conduct a face to face meeting every time. We can attend meetings online when urgent. Timings of the face to face meetings could be reduced and used somewhere else productively. This can also help is reducing personal stress.