Covid 19 and its Impact on Global Environment

ThirugnanaSambanthan, Asst.Professor, Department of MBA, Sankara College of Science and Commerce.

The world is in a panic situation due to the pandemic Covid-19 virus infection. More than 3,592,547 people have been infected as of now and 249,081 have died because of this dangerous virus.  This article is about how this pandemic made impact on Global Environment.  Ants have been in the earth for more than 120 million years, but it did not change or pollute the environment.  Out of all the living beings on earth Human are the one who started changing the environment for the past 700 years.

Global warming was threatening the whole world.  The poles started melting, the sea level started raising due to this, still now there is a threat that London and many countries which are nearby sea may be flooded by sea  and the land may disappear in few years.

Air pollution (PM2.5, ozone, and household air pollution) is the fifth leading risk factor for mortality worldwide.  Almost one  fifth deaths occur worldwide  due to air pollution. The air quality index in Delhi is usually 200 ( the normal level is 25).  The world health organization claims anything above 25 is dangerous to health.  Last year the Air Quality Index raised to 900 and on all days it was more than 25.  The Delhi Government took several steps like Odd – Even rule to contain this air pollution and to bring the air quality index below 25.  But all the efforts went in vain.  But now after lockdown the air pollution is 20.  Not only in Delhi, have major cities in the world seen decline in air pollution due to lockdown.

More than 70 Billion rupees has been spent to clean ganges river, even National Green Tribunal has expressed dissatisfaction because the efforts of cleaning ganges failed for the past several years.  The health of ganges river has improved drastically due to lockdown, there is a reduction in dumping of industrial waste in ganges and Central Pollution. The Board has found that now ganges is suitable for bathing and propagation of fisheries and wildlife.

People were able to see Himalayas from Jalandar city at Punjab which is about 213km away from it.  This vision is seen after 25 years.  From Uttarpradesh Saharanpur which is 636km away from Himalayas is able to see it after 30 years.  It is unbelievable to see that how much humans have polluted the global environment.

Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown has helped us to know about the clean environment, more than this silver lining of clean atmosphere during this lockdown, people, government and industrialists should take efforts to control pollution after lockdown.  This world does not belong to humans alone; it is for the millions of species in the world.  If we don’t follow rules nature will react against us.