Risk Assessment of Fine Particulate Matter to Commuters in Delhi-NCR

Seminar paper from the year 2022 in the subject Politics - Environmental Policy, grade: A, , course: M.Sc. (Environmental Studies and Resource Management), language: English, abstract: The present study makes an attempt to understand the non-carcionegenic and carcinogenic risks due to the exposure of NCR commuters to the high PM2.5 levels and a comparative analysis of exposure within three kinds of groups- male and female, students, official staff and non-official staff, and normal and overweight/obese. India has been facing high ambient air pollution levels for many years now. Particulate pollution has been one of the major concerns in this regard as almost all the population of the country is exposed to unhealthy fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) concentration and is considered one of the severely impacted countries in the world due to the same. Some of the worst levels of pollution in this category in the country have been witnessed in the areas of the National Capital Territory and adjoining regions. A large proportion of the exposure to these PM2.5 levels is possibly experienced during daily commutating trips. Hence, it becomes essential to analyze the present status of commuter's exposure to PM2.5 in the NCR region. The literature review indicates the need for understanding the risk status of commuters in the concerned region in a recent context and in a more generalizable and cumulative way. Furthermore, these risk assessment studies are usually ending by giving cumulative outputs and interpretations for the total population. However, it is important to note there may be intra-population heterogeneity in this context, which also is needed to be accounted for. For example, outdoor workers, those in informal sector or those engaged in non-official work may be more exposed or at a relatively higer risk to the pollution levels specifically those whose work is more oriented towards commuting such as auto-rickshaw drivers, street vendors, users of cart-vehicles, door-to-door service people etc. Hence, there is a need of solid evidences and study of population in those lines i.e., risk to the official and non-official workers. There are also evidences of difference in exposure to males and females in various studies. Similarly, there are differences observed in the exposure and effects of particulate pollution to normal and obese individuals.