Development plays a crucial role in our lives. From personal to global, development is what we always look forward to. Recognizing this need and importance for the dissemination of information, the United Nations celebrates World Development Information Day every year on October 24th.

The UN General Assembly in 1972 established the World Development Information Day to direct people’s attention toward developmental problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.

The main aim of this day is to propagate information and mobilize public opinion, especially among young people, in order to draw their attention and create awareness of the problems surrounding development, promoting efforts in the field of international cooperation for growth and development.

To promote prosperity among all countries be it poor, rich, or middle-income while protecting the planet, the UN has proposed 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals recognize and address the global challenges targeted to be achieved by 2030.

• No poverty
• Zero hunger
• Good health and well-being
• Quality education
• Gender equality
• Clean water and sanitation
• Affordable and clean energy
• Decent work and economic growth
• Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
• Reduced inequalities
• Sustainable cities and communities
• Responsible consumption and production
• Climate action
• Life below water
• Life on land
• Peace, justice and strong institutions
• Partnerships for the goals

Certain activities that can be done during World Development
Information Day
Work towards the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. Pick any from it and try to work towards a better world. Initiate the great act on this day by taking a resolution on which issue you shall work for and also involves others to join.

Use technology and social media platform to create awareness and involve the world towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Promote peace. Promote activities that will help in instilling peace and harmony in the society. As the main objective of United nations was to spread peace across the world. Help in involving voluntarily in such activities and help in promoting peace in day to day lives.

Conflict resolutions skills has to be included as activities in day-to-day life to help us handle emotions. Learning to handle stress and conflict is very
important to promote peace and harmony. hence activities and training can be conducted on handling emotional and mental well-being of people.

Take part in humanitarian cause. Volunteer for charity works. Fund raiser for Charity. Conduct surveys and find out the people in need of basic needs of livelihood. Conduct Humanitarian drive and involve many to work together for this cause.

Working towards sustainable environment is also one of the major objectives of United Nations. Involving in environmental activities will also help in obtaining this objective. Awareness sessions can be conducted online and people can bemade aware on the importance of protecting the environment.

This October 24th, let us not stay ignorant anymore and turn a blind eye toward global goals. Let us work toward the betterment of our homes, our countries, our world by harnessing the power of information and witness drastic game-changing improved results.

The era of 21st century is often regarded as an era of technology. Technology, today, plays a very important role in our life. It is seen as a basis of growth of an economy. The impact of technology can be felt in every possible field one such field is Education. Technology has always played a major role in education in some way or the other even before the pandemic.

Technology in educational field has made the process of learning and knowledge sharing more interactive. The greatest impact of technology on education is the change in our outlook towards the world. This remarkable shift in thinking from local to global can be attributed to technology. The onset of technology has made the journey of teaching and learning more effective.

Technology provides an interactive audio-visual medium. Animation software and Power Point presentations are used to present information in an interactive way. Both teachers and students find it helpful and interesting to use audio-visual tools. Large number of students can be addressed simultaneously with the help of projectors, screens, microphones and speakers. These teaching aids have led to increased attendance in classes.

Impacts of technology on Education are the following:
• Technology has made student life easy: Nowadays, students use different software and tools to make presentations and projects, instead of using pen and paper. These tools help to generate more interest in studies. There are online libraries which require no physical space. The teachers, students and researchers sitting in different parts of the world can access the same online library simultaneously.
• Technology has improved student engagement: Education technology has made learning more interactive and collaborative. It helps students better engage with their course material. This would help them to learn to do things in a practical way rather than just memorizing it.
• Technology has encouraged self-paced learning: In a traditional classroom, students who were struggling to learn new concepts would quickly fall behind their peers. With online assignments however, students can learn certain concepts at their own pace. This will make them self-reliant and also help develop their learning ability.
• Technology can promote innovative teaching techniques: teachers with the help of technology make teaching better and more interactive. This helps students develop greater interests towards learning through innovative modes. They would be able to retrieve the learnt aspects in a better way rather than merely from an examination point of view.
• Technology has enhanced time management: technology being accessible anytime and anywhere increases the time management among children. This helps them also focus on co-cirricular activities that is vital for their development. Children chanalise their free time in learning a new art form that can help them develop as an individual and also enhance their cognitive skills.

Just like every coin has got two sides, technology in Indian education has its own challenges too. The investment in technological infrastructure in schools, teacher training and software is a costly affair. India being a developing country, not all schools can afford to the technological infrastructure. With the increased demand for technology in schools, there is an equal demand in the cost of education too. Technology to a certain extent has replaced textbooks. With positives and negatives of technology in Indian education system, the positives have outnumbered negatives with many schools embracing technology. Ending on a positive note, technology in education enhances learning skills in students.

It has been close to a year since the widespread of the coronavirus, and has taken lives of millions around the world. While the frontline workers are putting in their best to eradicate this pandemic and save lives a lot of other problems come into the picture starting with employment, depression, work-life balance, rise to conflicts among family members.

With COVID-19 causing widespread school closures, children across the country are being given alternate resources, some online, to study outside of the classroom. Temporary solutions being devised for remote education range from online classroom tools like Google Classroom, to Zoom and podcasts by teachers. While parents are adjusting to this new scenario, during this time it’s also important to help kids stay focused on learning and avoid overuse of games, social media, and videos.

As students’ progress to higher classes in school, they seek more autonomy and intellectual freedom. Online learning can help them pursue highly individualised learning programmes, possibly even at college level. Research suggests that online learning has been shown to increase retention of information, and take less time, meaning the changes coronavirus have caused might be here to stay. These, combined with hands-on exercises, real world exploration, and assessments, can be highly beneficial to their learning progress. they make their way into college. I believe that we must not hold back students from pursuing education online but instead provide them guidance as they navigate through it.

Online learning programmes will also open up opportunities for children from the weaker socioeconomic communities who have limited access to learning resources i.e. teachers, text books and infrastructure. It will connect them to a global network of online learners, exposing them to new perspectives. The ideas that they receive will not be limited by the number of heads in one classroom.

Certain tips for families to follow to adjust to the new reality of learning from home:
• Digital Quarantine: This includes limiting children’s cell phones and tablets until their
schoolwork is done satisfactorily, so that it can receive their undivided attention and also
ensure successful utilization of time.
• Make space for learning: Studies show that children will achieve their best work in a quiet,
comfortable, and dedicated space devoted to learning. Therefore creating a particular spae
for learning would enhance their academic performance.
• Monitor the monitor (computer): In this new learning era, parents can help by monitoring
their children’s levels of interest and engagement in adapting to their new schedule and athome materials. This can be done by observation, wherein parents observe how children
engage in online learning during their online classes.

Online Education for teachers
Online education can also be framed to accommodate a variety of learning styles among students. As teachers, it is likely that they will have to put in additional efforts to incorporate online learning programmes into the curriculum in the most suitable manner.

Online training programmes are helping teachers/educators advance their skills in curriculum implementation, policy, education systems and leadership, both independently and with the support of their institutions. It lets them collaborate with their peers and learn new instructional skills that are relevant to their career. These programmes can help them develop new skills and capabilities in their students with the help of technology and interdisciplinary approaches

Without a doubt, this transition to online learning is a challenging time for parents, teachers, and children alike. Studies show that screen time can have both positive and adverse impacts on kids, and the shift to online education will only increase the child’s time with their devices but parents and elders at home can take an active role towards helping the children overcome the negative impact of increased screen time also help increase their productivity.

There are several forms of painting and textile that have made their way to a point nearing-extinction. Mithila and Rogan painting, Parsi and Toda embroidery are endangered along with other art forms such as Kasut of North Karnataka and Patan Patola of Kutch. These traditional art forms have been diminishing in the post-independence period after the promotion of foreign and machine-made goods in India.

Some of the textiles and forms of painting include:

Pattachitra, born in the state of Odisha, is used primarily to depict mythological stories. The Pattachitra paintings are like timelines, painted on fabric, with a blend of tamarind gum and chalk. Sometimes, gold and silver embellishments are used as well.

India is home to the third largest collection of rock art from ancient times. These rock paintings are found along the Aravalli range and in the state of Maharashtra as well.

The Roghan paintings which are made using vegetable dyes, oil and metal blocks and/or a metal stylus. This art form is only known to two families from the same village and is on the verge of extinction, as these families feel that there is nobody left to carry the tradition forward.

There were steps taken by the government and non-governmental sector to help promote the art by increasing their recognition and visibility and giving them a global platform to market their products online.

Manjusha painting, which originated in Bihar is another form of art which is on the verge of extinction. This form of art is represented sequentially, in the form of a story. This art form is nearing extinction since not many know of it and the Government has also been taking up steps to ensure that this form of art lives on.

Apart from these forms of art, India is also home to several fabric dyeing techniques and textile arts. Some of these include Bagh of Madhya Pradesh, a form of block printing done with natural bright colours, and geometric designs. Kalamkari of Andhra Pradesh which is done by stiffening and drying cloth in phases according to a colour scheme – using a bamboo stick and a bundle of fine hair as a brush. Ajrak of the western states of India, originated in the Mohenjo-Daro civilization, is made using the wooden block printing technique as well as vegetable and natural dyes. Dabu of Rajasthan is a mud-resist block printing technique, which involves phases of washing and handprinting. There are several plant and flower motifs used. Sanganeri of Rajasthan uses similar motifs, and is done by using wooden blocks for printing as well. Bandhani, which dates back to the Indus Valley civilization is a very popular dyeing technique which involves tying and dyeing with bright colours. Other forms are Leheriya of Rajasthan which is a form of resist-dyeing, Batik which is a wax-resist dyeing technique and Bagru of Rajasthan, which is over a century old and uses washing, hard dying and drying.

The creativity and craftsmanship that is involved in creating these forms of art is definitely complex and requires a lot of skill. These textiles and techniques boast cultural brilliance and diversity of the country. It also gives us a lot to think about in terms of working hard to preserve these packages of our history and roots.

The artisans of our country who specialise in these very art forms are thoroughly skilled and hardworking individuals who have in their craftsmanship centuries of legacy and brilliance which deserves to be preserved, passed on and given patronage. During these times of a global pandemic and the lockdown situation, the textile artisans are facing a lot more difficulties since there are limited sales with marketplaces shut down. There has also been a shift in the choices of consumers who prefer machine-made fabrics and prints which are economical and serve the purpose they were made for.

It is important for the artisans to be supported now and in the future, since the art that they are experts in will soon die out and this is not just a personal loss to them, but a loss to the entire nation and it would mean that we would be losing a part of who we are.

The handicraft sector is the second-largest industry that provides employment and concurrently livelihood opportunities in rural India, after agriculture. It is also the largest decentralized and unorganised sector in the world. India is home to various forms of handicrafts, such as pottery, jute works, terracotta work which vary from state to state. However, there is a tremendous decrease in the consumption of handicrafts in comparison to modern western products.

An article written by Mahatma Gandhi in ‘Young India’, expressed his distress on the lack of attention to the profession and art of handicrafts and other indigenous industries.  The process of globalization has helped countries open their doors to the world. As a result of it, there is easy access to foreign fashion brands and traditions, but sidelined the traditional arts of the locale.

The machine-made produce is cheaper than the handicrafts and serves as a factor contributing to the doom of the culture of handicrafts. The reason for the high price of handicraft is the cost of raw materials and production.

To add on to it, the availability of new consumer goods that are mass-produced is easily available in the markets. This has led to a shift in demand from handicrafts to these goods. Thus, over the years, with the coming of technology and fast lives, handicrafts have taken a backseat, and conservation of indigenous arts is a need of the hour.

The promotion of the handicraft industry can benefit the art itself as well as the unemployability issue the country is facing. If implemented in the right way, the economy of the country would benefit from handicrafts. This means that we need to work at involving the youth and younger generations as it will help in creating awareness regarding handicrafts, and its journey of creation.

But together, we can make a difference and the change is occurring. There are government bodies, NGOs, who are working towards helping revive the lost tradition. There is an increasing tendency among designers to use indigenous sources to decorate apartments. The handwoven fabrics are excellent pieces to decorate parts of interiors. They are used as cushion covers, table runners, and wall art.

Bamboo art is also regaining importance as lamps made out of bamboo. Bamboo pots are also finding a place in the interior design of homes. This serves as a way of preserving the craft. There is now a change in trends, NGOs have been working actively to help these handicrafts and traditional art forms gain more visibility and recognition. The popular fashion today is also influenced with traditional art, which is a good sign. There are several social media influencers who have also helped spread such trends.

Under the Corporate Social Responsibility Act, 2013 there are provisions made to promote traditional arts and handicrafts and support the revival of traditional arts in India. Companies can provide support by conducting workshops for customers, employees, and students.

There are several government schemes over the years that have been brought about to help revive the handicraft sector. This includes the Mega Cluster Scheme, which aims to scale up infrastructural and production chains at handicraft centres. This also attempts to make the handicraft centres more organised and at par with modernisation and other such developments. The main objective is to generate employment as well as improve the standard of living of existing artisans. This will be done through the Handicrafts Mega Cluster Mission (HMCM).

The Government is also involved in providing platforms for artisans, financial assistance, awareness and demonstration programmes. These activities and provisions help give the artisans global recognition.

The Government has also introduced ‘Handloom Mark’, a scheme which helps in terms of authenticating handwoven material. This scheme also provides an identity for Indian weavers and Indian material. The government also actively organizes expos, Melas, and Haats.

The Handicrafts of India seem to have reached a point where they need protection and nurturing, as they run the risk of becoming extinct, and merely memories of the past. Though there are strong initiatives being taken up by the government to protect these art forms, stronger steps towards protecting these handicrafts are necessary at an individual level, with everybody contributing to the larger cause.

The art, once created can easily be preserved, but the real challenge is protecting and preserving the skill required to create such beautiful forms of art. The skill set and knowledge required to be able to create such art is extremely important and heavily underrated. We ought to find sustainable ways to spread such knowledge and keep it alive and breathing for generations to come. Secondary factors such as not being able to generate a sizable profit from these goods should be set aside while looking at the larger goal of preserving the knowledge, skills and the artform itself. The profitability of such handicrafts can always be turned around if the collective mindset is directed towards promoting such causes. We ought to protect the essence of our culture which is stitched into our handicrafts.

Humanity faces many sustainability challenges between people and the environment. Human behaviour, although not intentionally malicious but is recognised as the root cause of most sustainability challenges. Choices made individually and collectively can increase environmental, economic and social problems. Therefore, addressing pressing sustainability challenges, requires changes in public perceptions, values, attitudes and behaviours, and the right conditions for these changes to happen. It requires fundamental changes in the way we think, act, and relate to other systems. Certainly, education is the most important tool to reshape worldviews and values and has enormous potential to address the sustainability challenges that humanity faces.

The success of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) encourages the world leaders to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at United Nation’s summit. There are 17 goals which have been adopted for 2030 agenda of SDGs. Among the 17 goals of SDGs, the goal-4 which is the “Quality Education” is considered very important for the overall development of  the nations and  the world and  an  effective  tool  for  achieving  other  Sustainable Development Goals. The 4^th Goal  of   Sustainable  Development  also  known  as ‘Transforming  our  World which ensures inclusive  and  equitable  quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

No nation can achieve development without the education, particularly quality education. Human Development Report of UNDP (United Nations) clearly states how top ranks in Human Development are held by those countries which are also ahead in quality education.  Studies show that there is a strong relationship between the quality education and SDGs
and how the quality education can help in realization of SDGs.

Goal-1: No Poverty: End Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere: 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty if all students in low‐income countries left school with basic reading skills.

Goal -2: No Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture: 47 million children in low-income countries are stunted as a result of malnutrition in early childhood. If all mothers in those countries had a primary education, 1.7 million children would be saved from stunting.

Goal-3:  Good Health. Ensure healthy lives and promotes well-being for all at all ages: studies show that each extra year of a mother’s schooling reduces the probability of infant mortality rate by 10%.

Goal-5:  Gender Equality-Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls: The quality education provides opportunities for full development and reduces gender disparities at every level, this increases the income of women thereby contributing towards gender equality.

Transformation of education systems is essential because our current systems does not support sustainable models of development and this change would ensure that the system provides education that predisposes learners to consider sustainability across their life choices.

Quality education can bring big changes in the planning, policy making and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The World community can achieve the Sustainable Development goals till 2030 with the help of quality education. 

“The aim of art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward
significance.” –Aristotle

India is a diverse country with each region containing an art form that it calls its own. At the
same time, various artforms originate from one region. This is induced due to the diverse social
and linguistic groups born on this land.

Every art form has its own history and its own cultural significance. Art transports you to a place
of beauty, self-reflection and thus, fills one with a feeling of bliss. It contains a quality to capture
and sustain the concept of time. Also, it has played a key role in preserving and evolving
cultures.

Due to modernisation, many traditional arts and crafts of India are disappearing. For instance, the
Handmade tales of India are getting replaced by machine-made products. Some of the dying arts
and crafts of India include Chamba rumal paintings, Madhubani Paintings, the craft of
Kendrapara, Handloom Weaving, Warli paintings from Maharashtra, or the traditional Naga
bamboo handicrafts, rangoli designs, and portraits.

The culture and traditional art forms are breathing a laboured life in today’s fast-paced world.
For instance, the indigenous art and crafts that were practiced in rural India, are taking a
backseat. This has brought suffering to the lifestyle of Artisans, the flag-bearers of preserving the
rich culture of our country.

Cultural Industries inclusive of books, multimedia, and the audiovisual sphere are large
generators of jobs, income, and revenue. They also provide the means for the promotion and
showcasing of the diversity of our vast and beautiful culture. It is extremely important for us as a
collective society to put in our effort to promote the development of and sustainability of cultural
enterprises, both small and large. This is due to the fact that such small-scale industries and
enterprises are packages of our culture. One manner of supporting this cause is integrating these
artistic and literary elements into our cultural goods and services. Such products, once protected
by copyright, could be spread globally to gain the recognition and the appreciation it is deserving
of. The artisans and artists behind the works of art ought to be recognised as they are equally
important.

Urbanization and modernization have taken over our day-to-day lives in a seemingly harmless
manner but have indeed led to the decline of many traditional and indigenous art forms.
Traditional art forms of various kinds and cultural industries are slowly moving into the depths
of oblivion. There is an increasing need in today’s fast-paced world for us to be more aware of
such changes since we now run a huge risk of losing a precious part of our history, culture, and
elements of what has made us, ‘us’.

We ought to make honest efforts to spread knowledge about our cultural heritage and raise
awareness on its fading state of existence. We could make efforts to learn more about our art
forms and culture to pass it on to the generations to come and keep it alive through our interest
and the love we show it.

The beauty that we see

Everything that was made

Wasn’t made for you and me!

 –Maxine Raggatt

ALTERNATIVE – meaning a choice or another possibility. The world has seen a lot of changes over the past few decades. Moving from the traditional lifestyle to a world where industrialization, privatization, and globalization has paved the way for a smarter and better scope of growth and development. Right from the attitudes and feelings, to technology, the idea of need has shifted to meet the greed of humankind. Man has been an integral part of nature and has an ambiguous relationship with it. At a time when humans are in a constant race to conquer the world,  Yet another drastic change in the lifestyle of people. Advancement knew no limits, Bullock carts replaced with high fuel consuming vehicles, Appliances to make life easier, huge factories and buildings to make mankind comfortable, we developed the world to what we want it to be, disregarding the fact that humans are just dwellers and not owners of our mother earth.

Flora and fauna have been exploited, the water bodies are extensively used, trees are cut down, the pollution in the atmosphere is increasing and as a result of all of these, nature and biodiversity of the Earth is massively affected leading to pollution, deforestation, global warming, climate change, disasters and even pandemic outbreaks like COVID-19.

In the present times, where the pain of COVID-19 has caused loss of lives, it has also highlighted the fact that people will change their behavior if it’s for the health of their families. It has also shown unusual environmental benefits like cleaner air, lower carbon emissions, clean water bodies, less pollution, respite for wildlife, and even bigger effects like the healing of the ozone layer. In a way, it has been the last message of the climate where sustainability and coexistences were very important.

Mother Earth has provided us with everything that we need to survive and thrive. She has been giving for the past thousands of years. We take the privilege of enjoying everything that Earth provides even as she is vanishing bit-by-bit. But it’s high time we repay the debt that we owe to Nature! It’s time we become a part of the solution rather than being a part of the problem. It’s time we work towards sustainable living when we think not just about ourselves but also care and preserve our precious, wonderful, and beautiful biodiversity and environment!

On June 5^th, World Environment Day is the United Nation’s campaign for encouraging Global awareness and action to change the attitude and create a positive impact on the environment. To celebrate the occasion and contribute to the cause for the environment, Vimové Foundation Team along with its Partners has taken up an initiative – Alternative ’20, a virtual live concert where Musicians, Creative artists, and Environmentalists come together to spread awareness about the environment. This is a fund-raising concert where the proceeds will be used to help the vulnerable section of people who are affected by COVID-19.

To preserve and protect Mother Earth, there is a strong need to follow an alternative approach. Being concerned about the environment is long gone, Now is the time to act. An alternative thought process has to be adopted wherein each individual recognizes their hands that destroy nature and take a step back and work towards nurturing nature. Earth as a living system is not human property rather humans are just a part of it!

We need to change our focus towards alternative options to bring change in all aspects of life. Future needs would require alternative food style, use of renewable energy sources rather than natural resources, alternative and eco-friendly technology. Furthermore, an alternative sense of belongingness is also an important factor wherein every individual needs to include others irrespective of their gender, religion, race, geographies and  work collectively towards living a sustainable life!

The Earth is all that we have in common. Each one of us is responsible to save Mother Earth. The time has come that we think of using an alternative approach where the things, people, nature, and environment must matter to us! The protection and preservation of the environment, biodiversity, and social change should be brought from an alternative to the mainstream. Alternative sources for green energy and greener environment need to be accepted so that humanity stops threatening its life support system. Let us all help the Mother Earth to heal in all possible ways and embrace her in all its biodiversity, beauty. and wonder! 

Apart from having a deteriorated economy due to the worldwide lockdown and intense disturbances caused in the supply chains, its invisible psychological and mental strains also must be understood.

It is inevitable that global pandemic crises shall pose a challenge to the pattern of social behavior. Due to the large restrictions imposed by the states upon its citizens’ routine social movements and activities makes their mental health much more susceptible and weaker.

Following the global financial crisis of 2007-08, many countries reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use. Apart from that, the crisis resulted in a 13% increase in suicides which can be attributable to the mass unemployment and sharp decline in the demand. (Mckinsey & company report – 2019).

By looking at these facts, one thing becomes very clear is that any global pandemic like this would certainly cause multiple forms of imbalances and problems among society. Here the solution must be derived from two sources.

1.  The government, having a greater role in the matters of its citizens, shall have to try to meet all their essential demands by various means. As it has certain limitations for deeply intervening onto the citizens’ matters, 2. society itself can bring a lot of changes in their normalized social way of behaving patterns. For that, they may be in need to re-look at their family and social relationships.

In a technology-reliant world, we can hardly find time to spare with our families and people around. In fact, we are in that stage where all the events taking place right beside our residence are also updated through technology and not through a face to face conversation (example- WhatsApp). This generation feels technology connects people better than in person and most of the mental disturbances which have been caused due to the lockdown can be attributable to the overdependence on technology.

While all of us were going through such a way of living, COVID-19 made us realize that we have more to learn than just scroll and like on social media. The present generation tends to lose its roots and the sense of emotion as they depend on technology and browsing more than personal conversations.

As all human beings’ relationships have largely dwelled into the virtual world, the beautiful stories and experiences that our parents and grandparents were sharing started to be mere distant memories. Lockdown has made us realize and learn the importance of offline life. On the other hand, the busy schedule of every individual and a routine life along with external disturbance like traffic causes stress and mental breakdown. But, due to the lockdown, all the employees are asked to work from home, which has not only reduced traffic on roads but also has reduced the employees’ stress and tension. Also due to reduction of junk and outsourced food, the health of the people is also under check.

The lockdown has helped people to focus on their mental and physical health, with regular exercises and meditation as well as the allocation of time. As a token of gratitude, all we can do is to help mother nature recover soon while we stay back and stay safe indoors. 

Covid-19 has become the most sudden and dangerous pandemic all over the world for over three months, and it has affected people all over the world in a huge number. The spread has begun from China and started affecting the world on all aspects (both socially and economically). The impact of such situations earlier and now has created a lot of disturbance and thousands of people across the globe have lost precious lives. The respective Governments’ decision to lockdown the countries for a couple of weeks had to be implemented as a standard measure to prevent further damage.
As an impact of lockdown, we can observe economic crises but on a positive note, we can witness gradual improvement in the environment. We are familiar with the bushfires in Australia and its adverse effect on nature. Mother Nature tries to heal and balance the ecosystem as she has gone through such destruction since decades, especially when there is extreme human interference. Focusing on India, as an impact of the lockdown we can see a tremendous change in the environment (positively) though a lot of unrest is created with regard to the economy. For instance, Delhi known for its smog and extreme pollution, has witnessed pollution levels reducing to 50% as an impact of lockdown. Shutting down all non-essential activities has resulted in enormous decline in the levels of nitrogen oxide, a pollutant that is produced due to the combustion of fuel. Now, we can witness the birds chirping and a clearer sky due to the closure of air transport and we can also see different varieties of birds flying across countries. On the other hand, due to less contamination in the water bodies (by humans), there are numerous aquatic animals found which otherwise were never caught at sight. Considering greenery around, there is less destruction for economic purposes and most importantly the consumption of natural resources like coal has reduced. These changes were only possible due to the common understanding among the people and at the same time for a common cause. This was only possible due to strict decisions taken by the Government on restricting social mobility, strict lockdown other than the basic commodities. Considering the effects, it is important for us to realize that nature plays a crucial role in our life, and it is our bounded responsibility to take essential care to have a better and safe future. As a responsible citizen and with a humanitarian view, we must take few initiatives to reduce pollution by using public transport, increase flora than destroying forests. Simultaneously, it is important for us to create awareness among others and utilize eco-friendly methods to reduce the usage of petroleum products and thereby reduce pollution levels. This in turn favours the flora and fauna along with the humans to breathe in fresh air and have a healthy life. The reduction of petroleum products also increases forests and creates a major positive impact on the life of flora and fauna. Hence an effort to balance the entire ecosystem can be done by the humans. Though COVID-19 has a negative impact, this is a learning outcome for all of us to save our environment.