Effect of Domestic Cooking Fuel on the Health of Nonsmoking Women of Uttar Pradesh, India

Effect of Domestic Cooking Fuel on the Health of Nonsmoking Women of Uttar Pradesh, India

Ajeet Jaiswal
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry

ABSTRACT

Air pollution is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. In developing countries, air pollution
tends to be highest indoors, where biomass fuels, such as wood, animal dung, crop residues, and
rasses, are burned by many households for cooking and space heating (Smith KR 1996). Here, we
analyse the effect of Domestic Cooking Fuel on the health of Non-Smoking women of Uttar Pradesh
and compare the pulmonary functions in healthy non- smoking women who used either biomass or
liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as their sole cooking fuel using data on 275 healthy non-smoking
women included 159 cooked solely with biomass and 116 cooked with LPG. A standardised
respiratory symptoms questionnaire was administered to all the subjects and spirometry was carried
out. The effects of passive smoking, ventilation, overcrowding and cooking index were also taken
into account.
Passive smoking showed no significant difference between the two groups. No statistically significant
differences was found in lung functions (FVC , FEV1, FER) in the two groups except for the PEFR,
which was significantly lower (P<0.01) in women using biomass. No correlation was observed between
different variables and pulmonary functions. The step-wise multivariate linear regression analysis
showed no correlation between cooking fuel and the pulmonary functions.
The absence of the expected adverse effects of biomass on pulmonary functions was possibly due to
better ventilation in the kitchens of subjects in the biomass group compared to previous studies. The
results strongly suggest that smoke exposure from the use of biomass fuels for cooking substantially
increases the risk of respiratory and lungs problems.

Keywords: Non- smoking Women, Health, Respiratory symptoms, Biomass, Liquefied petroleum gas 

Child Labor and Indian Carpet Industry

Child Labor and Indian Carpet Industry

Ajeet Jaiswal1, Sapna Jaiswal2

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
2 MBA, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi, India


Abstract

The use of child labor in the production of hand knotted carpets in India has been widely reported and documented. An important development which has a bearing on the incidence of child labor in the carpet industry in India is that in recent years there has been an overall decline in the production and exports of hand knotted carpets in India, particularly in core carpet belt. The principal aim of the present study is to understand the current situation of the child labor problem in India‟s carpet industry. A total of 60 loom enterprises with 137 active looms were selected from December, 2006 to February 2007, from the Badhohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. As the issue of child labor is one of a very sensitive nature, the researcher had to cope with several obstacles during the fieldwork in the areas covered by the study. Out of the total 528 weavers working on 60 loom enterprises studied there are 17 „definitely children‟ of whom 76.47% are boys and 23.53% are girls. The figures for „probably children‟ working on the looms are 46. The analysis of the workforce composition and working conditions of weavers found that children continue to be involved in significant numbers in the production of handmade carpets. Children account for 7.57% of the total workforce. Most of the children working on looms are boys (82%). Among the children working on the looms, the majority (58%) of them belong to the family labor category. The proportion of child labor to the total workforce is higher in the Persian variety of carpets than in the other varieties. Analysis of distribution of child labor in different sizes of enterprises shows that employment of child labor is greater in the larger enterprises. Findings of the present study clearly indicate that compared to the 1990s there has been a decline in the magnitude of child labor in the carpet industry; however, this decline is not to the extent of claims made by the government and

Assessment of Respiratory Disorders among workers in Cigarette Industry

Assessment of Respiratory Disorders among workers in Cigarette Industry

Ajeet Jaiswal

Dr. Ajeet Jaiswal, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University,

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to determine whether exposure of raw tobacco causes respiratory diseases, lung function impairment and parenchymal changes among workers in cigarette industry. Total subjects studied (n=125), out of which 67 were Non exposed workers or control subjects and 58 were workers exposed to dried tobacco leaves in Cigarette and Beedi Industry of Varanasi-Mirzapur belt, Uttar Pradesh, India. The study included completion of a questionnaire (on pulmonary and respiratory problems, spirometry and measurement of peak expiratory flow rate. At the same time, Paired t-test was done to determine the significant difference between cigarette workers and control subjects. Cigarette workers had significantly lower percentage of predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and FEV1% than control subjects (p <0.001). This study indicates that Cigarette workers may have respiratory and pulmonary disorders related to exposure to tobacco dust in their work environment.


Key words:

Respiratory impairments, Cigarette, Beedi Industry, Tobacco dusts, Lung function, Worker.

Anthropometric and Somatotyping Study among the Female Kho-Kho Players of Pondicherry: A Comparative Analysis

Anthropometric and Somatotyping Study among the Female Kho-Kho Players of Pondicherry: A Comparative Analysis

Ajeet Jaiswal*
Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India

Abstract

Performance in different games is supposed to be related to better physical fitness. The purpose of this study
was to find out anthropometric measurements, body composition and somatotyping differences among female Kho- Kho players and controls. 99 young female subjects (Kho-Kho players: N=49 and controls: N=49) of age group 18-24 years were randomly selected from the participant of South zone interuniversity Kho-Kho tournament for women, 2011-12, organized by Physical education and sports department, Pondicherry University, India. All the participants were assessed for height, weight, breadths, girths and skinfold thickness. The independent samples t-test revealed that Kho-Kho players had significantly higher height (p<0.05), as compared to controls. The Kho-Kho players were also found to have significantly greater lean body mass (p<0.01) and ectomorph component (p<0.05) as compared to controls. Controls had significantly greater percent body fat and total body fat (p<0.05) as compared to Kho-Kho players. The Kho-Kho players of this study were found to have higher percentage body fat with lower body height
and body weight than their international counterparts. Further investigations are needed on above studied variables along with fitness and physiological variables to assess relationship among them and with performance in Kho-Kho. The findings of the present study might be useful in future investigation on player selection, talent identification in the game of Kho-Kho and its training programmed development.

Anthropological and Physiological Study of Carpet and Silk Industrial Workers of Utter Pradesh, India

Anthropological and Physiological Study of Carpet and Silk Industrial Workers of Utter Pradesh, India.

*Dr Ajeet Jaiswal,

* Ajeet Jaiswal, Assistant Professors, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry-605014.;

ABSTRACT

Occupational health in India is undoubtedly an issue that calls for more research by experts and activists. Respiratory problem is one of the major health threats to Carpet and Silk Industrial Workers , till now the studies are mostly clinically based. A lacuna in anthropological perspective is observed. In the present study an attempt has been made to study the anthropo-physiological among Carpet and Silk Industrial Workers of District Varanasi, Utter Pradesh. The study has been conducted to assess changes in lung functions and airway reactivity resulting from exposure to textile dust.
The subjects comprises of control group (non-workers) and test group (workers) of the same ecological condition (Industrial environment). Effect of dust was seen on anthropological and physiological variables Effect of dust was categorized based on the duration of exposure to dust, concentration of dust, socio economic factors and life styles. The 300 workers of three different sectors (cotton, wool/synthetic, silk) of the textile industry who worked in a textile unit containing 8 sub working sectors. The pattern of disease incidence in different production center of the textile industry is grossly dissimilar. As the result suggest that exposure to textile dust is responsible for acute and consistent decrease in lung function as well as a slight increase in airway reactivity.

An Anthropological Vision on the Impact of Globalization on Indian Rural Women: A Critical Reality

An Anthropological Vision on the Impact of Globalization on Indian Rural Women: A Critical Reality

Ajeet Jaiswal* Department of Anthroplogy, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India


Abstract

The term globalization has been associated with key areas of change, which have led to a marked transformation of the world order. Globalization in India is generally taken to mean integrating the economy of the country with the world. This, in turn, implies opening up the economy to foreign direct investment by providing facilities to foreign companies to invest in different fields of economic activity in India. The main policy initiated towards globalization by the Government of India can be discussed under many headings. Globalization can be a major force for prosperity only if it is backed by adequate national policies and conducive social and economic environment. The present paper is totally based on secondary data. This paper will give an overview of what the forces of globalization have in store for the women of India. The various impacts of globalization on the society as well on women in India were also highlighted in the paper. The data thus collected shows the status of globalization in India, the significant role played by the new economic policy in promoting the Indian Economy, Does globalization cause poverty, Why are so many people opposed to globalization and Can globalization be controlled. A large group of working women of India is in the rural and unorganized sectors. Socially the majority of Indian women is still tradition bound and is in a disadvantageous position. Since globalization is opening up the Indian economy suddenly at a very high speed, without the required economic and social policies to provide the much required safety net, women who have been involved with production in the traditional ways, have to cope with numerous problems and yet try to avail of the opportunities which an open economy promises. With this background, this paper mainly focuses on the Anthropological vision and critical reality on the impact of globalization on Indian rural women from various angles.

A Study on the Intake and Expenditure of Calories among the Manufacturing Workers

A Study on the Intake and Expenditure of Calories among the Manufacturing Workers

Ajeet Jaiswal
Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry
Corresponding author: Dr. Ajeet Jaiswal, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. Email: rpgajeet@gmail.com,
Phone no. : 09791201427, 08122594335.

Abstract:

Nutrition and adequate diet plays an important role in the efficiency and welfare of the workers and non workers and in manufacturing work, the nutrient demand and energy expenditure are little high as compare to Non workers. Therefore, adequate nutrient and energy intake of manufacturing workers is of paramount importance. The interrelationship of physical activity, food intake and extremes of environmental temperature are important considerations influencing nutritional intake and physical performance in various activities of workers. Here, an attempt has been made to assess the Intake and Expenditure of Calories among the Manufacturing Worker of Uttar Pradesh.

The present study assessed the nutritional status of 152 workers working in different working level under Varanasi district. The dietary status was determined by the food and nutrient intake using diet history and the energy expenditure was computed by a factorial method using activity level and time records of 7 days. Another object was to develop survey methods for assessing the proportions of the calorie intake spent by industrial workers on various activities. The opportunity was taken during the survey of collecting certain Anthropological, medical and physiological data for industrial workers. The energy expenditure during work was estimated from the energy costs of individual tasks and the time spent in those tasks. The objects of the study, which was a new development in the survey field, were in general successfully achieved. The study showed that the necessary information could be collected by survey methods, but that there are difficulties in interpretation and that, in particular, further study of job assessment and more data on standards of calorie expenditure for various activities are required.

Key words: Nutrition, Food Consumption, Calorie Intake, Medical Examination, Job Assessment.