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Why do people in India continue environmentally harmful practices despite health risks?

In my fieldwork on air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, I observe a persistent gap between awareness and action. Families understand the health risks from indoor biomass burning, for instance, but feel compelled to continue. I'm trying to move beyond simplistic "lack of awareness" explanations to understand the deeper economic lock-ins and infrastructural constraints that policymakers must address.

 

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By Shreya K Answered 1 year ago

Having worked with communities in these contexts, I've seen that the barrier is rarely ignorance alone. It's a trap of competing vulnerabilities. A farmer burning stubble is mitigating an immediate economic risk (cost of clearing) against a diffuse health risk. Similarly, switching to LPG requires capital for the stove and ongoing fuel costs, which are prohibitive for daily-wage laborers. I would recommend interventions that directly reduce this adoption burden like truly subsidized clean technology access paired with livelihood support rather than just awareness campaigns. Effective policy must address the risk calculus of poverty.

 

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