Question

Following which of the below-mentioned steps can prevent and ensure a check on indoor pollution?

• A. Incorporating a well-ventilated kitchen while designing a house.
• B. Replacing fuels such as wood and dung cakes with cleaner fuels such as biogas, kerosene or electricity.
• C. Properly painting the house and carpeting it as extensively as possible.
• D. Only A and B

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Only A and B

Poor ventilation due to faulty design of buildings leads to pollution of the confined space. Paints, carpets, furniture, etc. in rooms may give out volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

• Use of wood and dung cakes should be replaced by cleaner fuels such as biogas, kerosene or electricity. But supply of electricity is limited. Similarly, kerosene is also limited. Hence, improved stoves like smokeless chullahs have high thermal efficiency and reduce emission of pollutants including smoke.
• The house designs should incorporate a well ventilated kitchen. Use of biogas and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) need to be encouraged.
• Those species of trees such as baval (Acacia nilotica) which are least smoky should be planted and used.
• Indoor pollution due to decay of exposed kitchen waste can be reduced by covering the waste properly.
• Segregation of waste, pre-treatment at the source, sterilization of rooms will help in checking indoor air pollution.