Kerosene Firewood burning in Kashmir poses more health problems

In the wake of absence of adequate electricity supplies and shortage of alternative supplies like LPG in the valley, many people have turned to conventional kerosene/ mud stoves for cooking meals this winter.Kerosene heaters/ stoves have been selling like hot cakes as people find it the most affordable and easily available source for cooking and warming themselves.However, a number of health risks people expose themselves to while using kerosene based heating/ warming and even lightning appliances are usually ignored.

Kerosene combustion/ burning produces the most toxic gases like Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide , nitrogen oxides which lead to serious respiratory and cardiac ailments.

Their usage is particularly high in rural areas, where people are not provided with basic electricity and other facilities and health awareness is low.Incidentally, a number of tragic accidents which have occurred were due to burn injuries caused, especially to women and children while using kerosene heating/ cooking devices.“ People usually avoid exercising precautionary measures while using kerosene based devices which lands them into trouble. Many sub-district hospitals in the far flung areas treat hundreds of such cases on an average basis in winters. Children are the most affected age group as they indulge in mishandling of these dangerous devices,” said Dr. Ahmad Waseem, a physician at SKIMS, Soura.

People say that there does not seem to be much of the choice for them which is why they have again gone back to the usage of kerosene lamps/ heaters and stoves.

“ Electricity tariff is touching sky high prices. Even LPG is not readily available now is being sold by black marketers at unaffordable rates. What could a common man do? ,” asks Gaffar, a public employee.Usage of kerosene, charcoal and firewood is prevalent in valley and more than 60 per cent of the valleyites in some way or the other use these during winters for heating, cooking and other purposes. The state government , has been non-active in enforcing strict regulations on inddor pollution problem , even if the number of injuries and deaths due to smoke choking , lung cancers and other related diseases in far off areas of the valley are on a rise especially in winters.