harvesting months. If the PM 10 level is reduced from the current level to the safe
levels during rice harvesting period, the estimated gain in workdays is 0.03. In
monetary terms, the loss in terms of workdays lost for a representative individual is
estimated to be INR 2.35 and for rural Patiala district and rural Punjab state it turns
out to be INR 2.54 million and INR 39.57 million, respectively, assuming a wage
rate of INR 120 per day.
6
The total monetary loss (due to lost workdays and increased medical expenditures) caused in terms of health damages due to increase in ambient PM 10 level
beyond the safe level for the rural areas of Patiala district and Punjab state is
estimated as INR 4.89 million and INR 76.09 million, respectively. These losses
should be considered the lower bound of health damages caused by the increased
air pollution level in rural Punjab. These estimates could be much higher if
expenses on averting activities, productivity loss due to illness, monetary value of
discomfort, and utility could also be considered. There is additional monetary cost
of burning to the farmers in terms of additional fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation
as was shown by the survey results discussed in Sect. 4. One also has to add into
the above cost the losses of soil nutrient, vegetation, bio-diversity, and accidents
caused because of low visibility.
6 Conclusion
In this paper an attempt is made to estimate the monetary value of health damage
caused by the smoke pollution emitted by the burning of rice and wheat stubble in
the open fields in Punjab, India. We use data of 625 individuals collected from a
household level survey conducted in three villages, namely Dhanauri, Ajnoda Kalan,
and Simro of Patiala district of Punjab for 150 households. To get the monetary
values we estimated two equations: one with mitigation expenditure and the other
with workdays lost as dependent variables. Tobit and Poisson models are used for
estimating mitigation expenditure and workdays lost equations, respectively.
Our household survey showed that paddy stubble burning leads to air pollution
and several other problems. Irritation in eyes and congestion in the chest were the
two major problems faced by the majority of the household members. Respiratory
allergy, asthma, and bronchial problems were the other smoke-related diseases
which affected household members in the selected villages. Almost 50 % of the
selected households indicated that their health-related problems get aggravated
during or shortly after harvest when crop stubble burning is in full swing during the
months of October, November, and December. In the peak season, affected families
had to consult doctor or use some home medicine to get relief from irritation/itching
in eyes, breathing problem, and similar other smoke-related problems. On an
6
A wage rate fixed for the state of Punjab under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(NREGA).
Economic Impact of Air Pollution from Agricultural …
311
levels during rice harvesting period, the estimated gain in workdays is 0.03. In
monetary terms, the loss in terms of workdays lost for a representative individual is
estimated to be INR 2.35 and for rural Patiala district and rural Punjab state it turns
out to be INR 2.54 million and INR 39.57 million, respectively, assuming a wage
rate of INR 120 per day.
6
The total monetary loss (due to lost workdays and increased medical expenditures) caused in terms of health damages due to increase in ambient PM 10 level
beyond the safe level for the rural areas of Patiala district and Punjab state is
estimated as INR 4.89 million and INR 76.09 million, respectively. These losses
should be considered the lower bound of health damages caused by the increased
air pollution level in rural Punjab. These estimates could be much higher if
expenses on averting activities, productivity loss due to illness, monetary value of
discomfort, and utility could also be considered. There is additional monetary cost
of burning to the farmers in terms of additional fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation
as was shown by the survey results discussed in Sect. 4. One also has to add into
the above cost the losses of soil nutrient, vegetation, bio-diversity, and accidents
caused because of low visibility.
6 Conclusion
In this paper an attempt is made to estimate the monetary value of health damage
caused by the smoke pollution emitted by the burning of rice and wheat stubble in
the open fields in Punjab, India. We use data of 625 individuals collected from a
household level survey conducted in three villages, namely Dhanauri, Ajnoda Kalan,
and Simro of Patiala district of Punjab for 150 households. To get the monetary
values we estimated two equations: one with mitigation expenditure and the other
with workdays lost as dependent variables. Tobit and Poisson models are used for
estimating mitigation expenditure and workdays lost equations, respectively.
Our household survey showed that paddy stubble burning leads to air pollution
and several other problems. Irritation in eyes and congestion in the chest were the
two major problems faced by the majority of the household members. Respiratory
allergy, asthma, and bronchial problems were the other smoke-related diseases
which affected household members in the selected villages. Almost 50 % of the
selected households indicated that their health-related problems get aggravated
during or shortly after harvest when crop stubble burning is in full swing during the
months of October, November, and December. In the peak season, affected families
had to consult doctor or use some home medicine to get relief from irritation/itching
in eyes, breathing problem, and similar other smoke-related problems. On an
6
A wage rate fixed for the state of Punjab under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(NREGA).
Economic Impact of Air Pollution from Agricultural …
311