Residents of West Bengal’s Siliguri witnessed the snow-capped peaks of Kanchenjunga, almost 100 kilometres away during the lockdown this May. By Manya Saini
The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown has resulted in a drastic drop in pollution levels across the country. The people of Siliguri in West Bengal witnessed the mesmerising effect of this change first hand, as they woke up to the clear sight of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain peak, from their homes.
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The majestic mountain, part of the Himalayan range is located 100 km away from Siliguri in Nepal. A resident took to Twitter to share the gorgeous picture clicked by his father from their rooftop early morning. The picturesque shot quickly went viral as netizens started to rave about the natural wonder.
In a similar incidence earlier, residents of Jalandhar marvelled seeing the Dhauladhar Range from the city after nearly 30 years. The majestic Himalayan mountains are located nearly 200 kilometres away. The story is similar for the people of Saharanpur in UP, where the older generation got to relive their childhoods once more when they saw the snow-laden peaks of the Gangotri Range once again.
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The lockdown effect is not just limited to air, recently, the water of river Ganga was declared clean enough to drink, and take a ritual bath in, for the first time in years. The country also saw the return of Dolphins to river basins in Meerut and West Bengal.
Nature’s revival through the lockdown period has been nothing short of magical, as people witness animals return to their natural habitats after decades, river water is pristine, and skies have become clearer.
Related: Thanks To The Lockdown, You Can Now See Himachal Pradesh’s Dhauladhar Range From Jalandhar