Health effects of short and long-term air pollution exposure: Evidence from a survey of residents living in rural and urban regions near Kolkata

This report details the health impact of air pollution on urban and rural population near Kolkata. It was published on July 23, 2022, by Climate Trends, a New Delhi-based organisation working in the climate and development sector.During 2021-22, 1,155 residents from seven locations in West Bengal – Kolkata, Howrah, Asansol, Haldia, Barrackpore, Bardhhaman and Barasat, were interviewed for the survey. These places host many medium- and large-scale industries, including four important coal-based thermal power plants.In the report, health effects of air pollution on people have been categorised into upper and lower respiratory symptoms (URS and LRS) and studied on the basis of age, gender, occupation and socio-economic status. URS included wheezing, asthma, earache, tachycardia and hypertension. LRS, on the other hand, included sore through, sinusitis, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, cough, chest discomfort and breathlessness.The survey analysed PM2.5 (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometres or smaller) data over the regions using satellite studies and surface measurements. It revealed that long-term exposure to air pollution had more detrimental effects on people residing in urban areas than in rural areas, and that the aged and women were more likely to suffer from health issues due to air pollution.This 40-page document is divided into nine sections: Executive summary (Section 1); Key findings (Section 2); Introduction (Section 3); Objective (Section 4); Methodology (Section 5);  Results and discussion (Section 6); Study limitations (Section 7); Conclusion (Section 8); References (Section 9).