The Flip Side : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Flip Side

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao       

Millennium Post, New Delhi (22-04-2020)

Aside from monotony and despair, the lockdown has also brought with it clear skies, pleasant weather and a possibility of reducing seasonal, pollution-induced illnesses (Editor).

If anyone observes keenly, it will be noticed that, the evening temperatures in Hyderabad are not that bad as they used to be in the preceding years. Those who sit in balconies in the evenings, instead of getting hot breeze as in the past in this season, are now experiencing somewhat cool breeze. During 1960s and 70s in the pollution free Hyderabad, the weather was more or less like this. Pleasant evenings and nights all through the year were the order of the day then. Light drizzle in the evening was a routine feature pushing every individual to cover the body with a bed sheet even during midsummer. In the recent past too, almost akin to those days, though there is no drizzle every day, none switches on an Air Conditioner. This may be due to the change in the weather condition or could be effect of coronavirus linked lockdown forcing people to confine to four walls and thereby indirectly making Hyderabad pollution free, emission free and radiation free once again.  

New York Times reported that in one of the most polluted cities on earth, the New Delhi, where many people routinely wear face masks to filter out the filth, something rare and wonderful has emerged: a pure blue sky. Because there are so few cars on the road, few factories belching out black smoke and almost no active construction sites to create clouds of choking dust, pollution levels in New Delhi, India’s megalopolis capital, have dropped to remarkably low levels observed New York Times.

            While this is so, the world scenario is also all the same. According to Martha Henriques who contributes to BBC, the pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have fallen across continents as countries try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Within months since the appearance of coronavirus the world has transformed into a unique symbol of environment change. Millions of people, who have not caught the disease, there is a sea change in their entire way of life and for many for better, thanks to governments’ decision to confine them in lockdown and not letting them exposed to pollution.

The streets of Wuhan, China, are deserted after authorities implemented a strict lockdown. In Italy, the most extensive travel restrictions are in place. In London, the normally bustling pubs, bars and theatres have been closed and people have been told to stay in their homes. Worldwide, flights are being cancelled or turning around in mid-air, as the aviation industry buckles.

As industries, transport networks and businesses have closed down, it has brought a sudden drop in carbon emissions. Levels of pollution have reduced steeply because of measures to contain the virus. The proportion of days with good quality air is up considerably. Looks like that the environment is benefiting in some interesting and unexpected way over the last few months, a blessing in disguise, thanks to coronavirus lockdown. One of the main impacts of the coronavirus outbreak has been a significant drop in air pollution in many parts of the world. Most notably seen in developed, or developing, industrial nations like India China.

With many people around the world self-isolating voluntarily or by official edict, some major cities are also seeing their air quality improve. Traffic levels, with no public or private transport on roads, are also significantly down and as a result carbon monoxide emission have also dropped. Another interesting effect on the environment has been a significant reduction in air travel. This is significantly improving air quality and reducing pollution in the skies above many countries of the world. With fewer planes buzzing around, issues associated with contrails and exhaust emissions are easing. 

As more and more people are put under lockdown around the world, energy consumption profiles in buildings are being disrupted. With many people now working from home domestic energy consumption is predicted to have risen sharply. Conversely, with fewer people in commercial and work place buildings, their energy consumption should fall steeply. This will ultimately save energy as the increase in domestic use is more than compensated by the larger drop in commercial and educational building uses. It also has the knock-on effect of reducing the consumption of polluting fuels in power stations as demand falls. 

In addition, the environment related diseases are also on the decline and almost negligible. People are generally sensitive to one or more allergies leading to sneezing, running nose, itching of eyes, breathlessness etc. which are normally symptoms of allergic asthma. These occur normally due to air pollution. Dermatitis a fancy name for irritated and inflamed skin is caused due to environment pollution. Air pollution may break down sensitive tissues in the lungs. Some dangerous airborne particles may damage sensitive areas of the lung. This condition which is called pneumoconiosis again is an environment related health problem. Eyes are sensitive to the environment. Polluted air can irritate the eyes and produce a burning sensation, redness and itching in the eyes.  New research suggests that air pollution may have an effect on human health by altering bacteria.

According to a leading Pulmonologist and Allergy Specialist Dr Vyakaranam, Nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide cause extensive damage to lungs, heart and brain cells. The most important, the PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5 size of aerosols in pollution, have in natural 10 to 20% of microorganisms floating. Of these 80% belong to bacterial organisms and fungal elements. They are source of many pathogens and Allergies. it is proved that, more the air pollution then more the airborne bacterial concentration and respiratory diseases leading to Upper Airway Inflammation and can also cause fatal pneumonia. pseudomonas, empedobacter brevis and staphylococcus group of organisms predominantly present in air pollution. Besides these few pathogenic bacteria are Actinobacillus Proteobacteria, Firmicutes Cyanobacteria / Chloroplast and Bacteroidetes and Ascomycota, are also embedded.

Ever since Coronavirus Lockdown is implemented, none of these are, at least, largely reported either in a private dispensary or in any government or private hospital in Hyderabad and also in other major cities.  

In the 1970s, Hyderabad was known as the city of lakes, pearls with cool and comfortable weather. Even in the peak of summer, Hyderabad city was the only place where people never suffered hot and humid weather and there was no sweating. The evenings always used to have a nice drizzle or cool breeze. As they say, every adversary has a positive impact. Due to the fear of Coronavirus spread and subsequent lockdown, Hyderabad city seems to have rediscovered its glorious past as far as weather is concerned. For the past several days, one can feel the pleasant mornings and equally pleasant evenings with cool breeze. People have been unexpectedly experiencing wonderful environment. Call it blessing in disguise, all those who lived in the glorious 70s of Hyderabad are once again experiencing it with a touch of nostalgia. Hyderabadis, without actually asking, got their wonderful glorious days back. It reminds one of Kishore Kumar’s everlasting hit song in Door ka Rahi film, ‘Koi Lauta De Mere Beete Huye Din’ meaning, someone please get back my bygone days.