Improved Biomass Stove on Health of Rural Families

Inefficient combustion of solid fuels emits high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and other harmful emissions. A strong association has been shown between household air pollution (HAP) and acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children, and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and lung cancer in adults. The magnitude of these adverse health impacts, household air pollution from burning solid fuels in primitive cook stoves is the primary environmental cause of death. The 2014 Global Burden of Disease Report (GBDR) found household air pollution to be the third most deadly global risk factor, accounting for about 4.3 million deaths annually (mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses), and the second greatest risk factor in India (Improved biomass cook stove, 2014). Exploratory and experimentalStudy was conducted during the year 2016-17 Dharwad and Vijayapur districts of Karnataka state. Keeping this in view a study was conducted in two villages namely Timmapur Village of Dharwad district and Bhaganager village of Vijayapur district. 60 households were randomly selected from each village. Interview schedule was used. More than 90 percent of the respondents in both the villages were illiterate and majority of the respondents had breathing problems. A highly significant difference was found between improved biomass stove and traditional stove and also among women of both villages. This indicates that the benefits were more effective while using improved biomass stove as compared to traditional stove.