Impact of Biomass Fuels on Health of Women and Children in Rural Assam: A Statistical Study

Human health is affected by environment. Almost 3 billion people use biomass fuel and coal as their source of domestic energy in all over the world. And the percentage in rural India and Assam is 90 and 85 respectively. (NFHS2, 1998–1999). The effect of traditional biofuels viz. wood, animal dung and other biomass fuels in traditional stove on health is negative. The inefficiency of the biofuels in converting it into useful energy makes them harmful to the health of mother and their children (who stay near the mother). The women and their young children are exposed to pollutants such as carbon mono-oxide, benzene and formaldehyde due to prolonged hours of cooking in poorly ventilated indoor fires. It is a surprising fact that most rural women in India inhale every day carcinogens, equivalent to smoking about hundred cigarettes. These result in respiratory problems, lung diseases, eye infections and cancer among the vulnerable groups of people. Another health hazard for women comes from collecting fuel wood. It leads to back problem from carrying heavy loads in the head and sprains and fractures of the legs. Indoor air pollution in developing countries is ranked fifth in terms of percentage of ill health. They estimate that more than 1.6 million premature deaths occur every year due to cook stove pollution worldwide. But it does not attract much public attention. The irony is that cook stove pollution affects mostly poor women and young children. In this proposed work we sincerely study the plight of rural women and child of Assam who are exposed to dangerous levels of indoor pollution from burning biomass fuels. Subsequently statistical analysis would be drawn and some humble strategies will be suggested in handling the severe problem of cook stove pollution.