Indoor Air Pollution: The Hidden Health Hazard in India

Indoor air pollution poses a greater health risk than outdoor pollution in India, with household emissions being a significant contributor. Household pollution often surpasses urban pollution, causing severe health issues and economic costs. Calls for expanding India's Clean Air Programme have been supported by experts emphasizing both health and economic benefits of cleaner air.

Indoor air pollution has emerged as a critical health risk in India, surpassing even the notorious outdoor pollution in many cases. This revelation was made by two of the country's leading policy experts during the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2024.

Principal Advisor to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, highlighted that women's exposure to high levels of black carbon at home is comparable to that of auto-rickshaw passengers in polluted urban areas like Delhi. This exposure has been linked to severe health problems including high blood pressure.

Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, emphasized the economic barrier in switching to clean cooking solutions. While initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana have provided LPG cylinders to over 100 million households, sustained use remains a challenge. Both experts stress the need for broader clean air policies to mitigate health risks and economic losses.

(With inputs from agencies.)