An inside Problem (The Indian Express)

Mains Paper 4: Environment
Prelims level: Air pollution
Mains level: Different diseases caused by air pollution

Context

•  The problem of air pollution and its ill-effects on people abysmal air quality in Delhi dubious honour of Indian cities.
•  The spotlight on issues such as emissions from transport, crop burning, road dust, burning of waste and industries large and small.
•  However, this discourse leaves out the single largest source of air pollution the pollution from our homes.
•  Burning of solid fuels such as firewood and dung-cakes, mainly for cooking, results in emissions of fine particulate matter and form by far the single largest source of air pollution in the country.
•  Various pieces of evidence underscore this fact.

Analysing the study on air pollution deaths

•  According to a 2018 international study “Burden of disease attributable to major air pollution sources in India”, 11 lakh deaths were attributable to AAP (ambient air pollution ) in 2015.
•  Of this, as many as 2.6 lakh were due to HAP (household air pollution).
•  A 2015 report of the Steering Committee on Air Pollution and Health Related Issues available on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s website, (henceforth MoHFW, 2015), 26 per cent of particulate matter AAP was caused due to combustion of solid fuels in households.
•  HAP is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the country on its own.
•  The MoHFW, 2015 report states that HAP by itself, that is apart from its 26 per cent contribution to AAP, contributed to about 10 lakh deaths in 2010 and is the second biggest health risk factor in India (in comparison, AAP was seventh).
•  A 2017 study spearheaded by the Indian Council of Medical Research titled “India: Health of the Nation’s States” five leading causes of mortality and morbidity in India are, respectively, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, diarrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory infection and stroke.

Way forward

•  Therefore, there is a strong case to be made for tackling HAP on a war footing: use fuels that burn cleanly, because even partial use of solid fuels can have significant health impacts.
•  On the policy and programme front Ujjwala for providing LPG connections though it needs to be strengthened to improve affordability and reliability of supply.
•  This challenge requires going beyond Ujjwala LPG need not be the only solution to address this problem and a wider choice of clean-burning options.
•  This requires a coordinated strategy involving multiple government agencies and programmes.
•  It also requires setting well-defined targets for HAP and its associated health impacts, and having systems to monitor and publish them.
•  If we really want to breathe clean air outside, we need to look inside our homes, particularly our hearths, first.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to 'Fly Ash'?
1. Fly ash is recovered as a by-product from burning of coal in thermal power plants.
2. The wet disposal of Fly ash results in leaching of toxic heavy metals in ground water system.
3. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to adopt the Fly Ash Utilization Policy. .

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Mains Questions:
Q.1) Indian household that faces a huge problem of air pollution, towards which sufficient attention has not been paid. Critically analyse the statement.