However, as time passed by, the number of vehicles kept on increasing. Not only this, there was no end to carbon emissions from industries.
Soon, Delhi became the most polluted city in the whole wide world. Several other Indian cities also continue to live in a blanket of pollution.
While South India continues to breathe free, it is the North Indians who continue to choke. Fresh air is a distant dream now. If this was not enough, pollution has now taken to our majestic monuments.
The holiest shrine for the Sikh, the Golden Temple in Amritsar is losing its Midas touch due to Air Pollution. The gold plated walls now look pale and lusterless. Replacing these walls with new ones is an expensive affair and has already been done in the year 1999.
One of the primal reasons for the ever increasing pollution in Amritsar and other areas of Punjab is the burning of spent crops by farmers to clear their fields. To top it all, WHO has ranked Amritsar as the ninth most polluted city in India.
A campaign has been launched by both religious leaders as well as environmentalists. Farmers will be asked to curb burning of spent crops for clearing fields, along with eliminating industries from that particular area.
Not only this, the langar which serves about 1 lakh people every day is also ready to switch to cooking gas instead of firewood.
Some iconic monuments have already suffered enough due to the notorious air pollution. The sparkle and luster of these historical heritages have been lost somewhere, all thanks to Air Pollution.
The once sparkling white walls of the Taj Mahal have now transformed into a brownish yellow and pollutants released due to excessive burning of fossil fuels, and other elements in Agra are to be blamed.
The Lotus Temple in Delhi is also likely to change into a greyish colour due to severe Air Pollution in the national capital. The 400-year-old Charminar in Hyderabad is also bearing the brunt if Air Pollution.
If nothing is done soon enough, the future generations will only be able to enjoy the beauty of these monuments in pictures.
Image Credit: wn.com