Dhanbad: IIT-ISM Dhanbad, in collaboration with the University of York, UK, conducted an Indo-UK Workshop on “Addressing Indoor Air Quality Challenges in Dhanbad: A Case Study in the Global South” on Saturday. The workshop focused on discussing indoor air quality issues with various segments of society, including security guards, cleanliness workers, household women, elderly persons, and children from both urban and rural areas.
The workshop, coordinated by Dr. Darpan Das, Assistant Professor at the University of York, and Principal Investigator of the project, commenced in the Seminar Room of the Department of Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE) at IIT-ISM.
It began with a discussion with a group of security guards about their family details, indoor behavior, health information, and perceptions of air quality. This 45-minute discussion was followed by similar sessions with groups of cleanliness workers, women from surrounding villages, elderly persons, and children.
Dr. Das elaborated on the study, stating, “It aims to identify the key sources contributing to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in rural and urban Indian homes, where participants are at maximum risk of exposure to indoor air pollutants. The study also seeks to uncover barriers to reducing IAQ exposure in these areas.”
The study includes training participants on the use of low-cost sensors, with some participants selected to carry these sensors in their homes. “A feedback session will also be held to identify challenges related to the use of these sensors,” said Dr. Saifi Izhar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at IIT-ISM and a resource person for the project.
Other contributors include Dr. Gitismita Naik, Assistant Professor at AIIMS Kalyani; Dr. Indrani Ghosh, Assistant Professor at Adamas University; and Dr. Deepanjan Majumdar, Senior Principal Scientist at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Kolkata.
Questions to understand the reasons behind barriers and challenges associated with using sensors will be posed in subsequent rounds, followed by sessions to understand challenges in providing and managing air quality in homes.
One of the resource persons highlighted the benefits of the research, stating, “Participants will become aware of air quality problems and possible mitigation measures, and they will also be able to share the challenges and barriers towards achieving clean air.”
