Unclogging the Clogged

In the wake of the global lockdown, it is the Mother Earth that has benefitted the most. Find out how?

Oceans: With limited amount of shipping activities, and close to none maritime ones, the oceans have seen less waste dumping in the past couple of months. Due to a limited workforce willing to go out to sea in order to dump tons and tons of garbage on barges, the oceans are now home to aquatic wildlife some of whom have ventured quite close to shores. Beaches that were once teeming with screaming humans, throwing their plastic ware into the mighty abyss, are now home to dolphins that are swimming quite close to the shore. The oceans are quite essential to existence of life on planet earth, and with eco-terrorists under a self-imposed lockdown; seagulls are chilling by the bay and penguins are marching in fleets of joy.

Rivers: There is no doubt that rivers are the first ecological asset that human activity has polluted. Early civilizations flourished on the banks of rivers for they were a source of fresh water. Over centuries, these flowing bodies of water have been used for various human enterprises like fishing, transport and even religious worship ceremonies. The diminished  has started unclogging river basins. The banks of river Ganges that were previously construed as problematic, and polluted, now flow freely with potable water. That is proof enough that a detox from mankind is all these perennially existent rivers required.

Forests and terrestrial Lands: The largest displacement of living beings never happened when the Red Indian population was forced to live in reserves. It happened when thousands of hectares of land, was taken away from the Amazonian flora and fauna to create cities for, guess who, mankind. The rapid deforestation for all our timber and sandalwood needs caused a void in the ecology where thousands of creatures flourished. It is estimated that a lot of jungle territories will be reclaimed by its rightful owners, the animals as a result of restricted human activity due to the Covid-19 crisis. This added safety, may also allow them to take a stroll down their own ancestral memory lanes, now recreated in concrete.

While major corporations hold environmental conventions hypocritically, it is nature itself that took a preventive measure against its largest living parasite, the one with an intellect, and yet a penchant to pollute, all while maintaining a hypothetical responsibility towards environmental sustainability. Now, it is the time to let nature rejoice.

Matter referenced:

Times of India, Ahmedabad, Friday, 5th June, 2020.

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

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