Traditional cooking practices in northeast pose more health risks than LPG

Despite technological advancements, over 50 per cent of the rural population in northeastern India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya) still rely on traditional solid fuels like firewood and mixed biomass for cooking. This leads to the emission of significant pollutants into the kitchen air, posing health risks to inhabitants, according to a recent research conducted in collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi), Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), France, and the National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), India.

The research aimed to assess the severity and health implications of using biomass cooking fuel compared to LPG-based cooking in rural kitchens across three Northeast Indian states.