There’s a possibility for India to attain its set air quality goals if the country eliminates emissions coming out from the household sources completely. As per a recent study, the use of kerosene, coal and firewood in Indian households have contributed to around 40 percent of PM2.5 pollution across districts in the Gangetic basin. The number altered nationwide; however, the emissions from households remained a major reason behind the increasing air pollution.
The study was conducted by the scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi along with Urban Emissions in Delhi, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and University of California in Berkeley.
The findings of the study showed that the outdoor levels of air pollution could be lessened by banishing indoor emissions and can be brought under ambient air pollution standards.
The study further notes that if all the households began using clean fuels, around 13 percent of premature mortality across the country could be prevented. Besides, alleviating household emissions could also bring our huge health benefits at a national scale.
According to Kirk R. Smith from University of California in Berkeley, one cannot have a clean and healthy environment when nearly half of the households are using dirty fuel each day. The pollution doesn’t stay in the kitchen but becomes a part of air pollution on the outdoor.
The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science journal.
Deepali Sharma
Deepali has worked as an editor for various print-based magazines for more than 5 years. She brings together substantial news pieces from Science/Environment niche.