New Delhi: Came October And, it seems the world is witnessing India further easing Covid-19 curbs and allowing more ‘activities’ like reopening of cinemas, theatres and multiplexes from October 15. But, according to experts belonging to agriculture and other fields, amid farm protests in some parts of the country, stubble burning could aggravate pandemic infections. NASA satellite images pointing to early signs of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana demands the immediate attention of the Centre and State governments in the north Indian region to take ‘remedial measures,’ the experts feel. Incidentally, in a few weeks after Kharif harvest is over, paddy stubble starts burning in the country to prepare the ground for Ravi sowing and as the smoke fans out, states in the Indo-Gangetic Plain bear the brunt of air quality decline from mid-October onwards. The experts are also of the view that a spurt in respiratory ailments associated with dipping air quality during winter will twin this year with the COVID-19 pandemic that manifests as respiratory distress in serious cases. Informatively, researchers have found that air pollution worsens the impact of Covid-19 and increases death counts.
Meanwhile, active Covid cases went up in India on Wednesday after registering a decline for two straight days even as September turned out to be the worst period for the country during the pandemic accounting for 41 per cent of cases and the highest number of deaths -34% – in any month.