A Survey to Identify Adverse Health Effects Associated with Stubble Burning

For past several years, agriculture waste burning has been subject to intense public health debate as thousands of acres are burned resulting in smoke and air pollution that could have detrimental health consequences. We conducted this survey to identify adverse health effects associated with stubble burning in our region as there are almost no scientific studies or surveys documenting adverse health effects because of smoke or air pollution caused by burning of agriculture waste and the residents expressed concern about effects of stubble burning on their health and quality of life.

To conduct a survey to identify adverse health effects associated with stubble burning.

We adopted a questionnaire about symptoms related to the air pollution episode, translated into local language and all people above the age of 12 years were interviewed to fill up the questionnaire after taking the verbal consent. Results were calculated and analysed on percentage scale.

This survey involved 8, 573 people and showed that 84.5% people were suffering from health problems because of smoke and every one young, old, males and females suffered equally but more people in rural areas experience symptoms as compared with urban areas.

We conclude that stubble burning is creating an alarmingly dangerous air pollution causing adverse health effects in majority of population which necessitates drastic steps involving all the stakeholders to curb and totally stop the stubble burning to protect health of entire population.