Stubble burning impacts lung health, says study

What is the News?

A study was conducted to analyse the impact of pollution from stubble burning on Human Health.

About the study

The study was conducted in six villages in Punjab. It analysed two periods: one was the normal period and the other period was when crop burning was at its peak, to measure the change in air quality during both periods

What are the key findings of the study?

Reduced Lung Function: Pollution from stubble burning has significantly reduced lung function and was particularly harmful to women.

High PM2.5 levels: The concentrations of PM2.5 (category of unburnt carbon particles considered most harmful to respiratory health) were found to increase more than twice between the two-time frames.

More Symptoms: ​​During the crop residue burning period, a two to three-fold increase was noted in most of the respiratory symptoms. The highest number of respiratory complaints were reported by the elderly population (>40-60) and the lowest in the younger age group(>10-18).

Source: This post is based on the article “Stubble burning impacts lung health, says study” published in “The Hindu” on 6th November 2021.