In many rural areas, families still cook food using traditional chulhas fueled by firewood, crop residue, dung cakes, or coal due to limited access to cleaner cooking options or economic constraints.
These fuels produce smoke inside or around the home. Women, elderly family members, and children often spend the most time near cooking areas and are repeatedly exposed to this smoke.
Because the pollution occurs inside homes rather than on roads or in factories, it often receives less attention despite being a daily exposure for millions of people.I observed that many households in villages still use firewood-based chulhas for cooking. During cooking, large amounts of smoke are released into the surrounding area. Family members, especially women who cook daily, remain exposed to this smoke for long periods.