image: While many recognized severe air pollution in Delhi, fewer viewed local air quality as severe. Most households believed that smoke from stubble burning did not affect their health, even though many agreed that the practice is a major issue.
Credit: Aakash Project, RIHN
In Punjab, India, paddy stubble burning is a widespread agricultural practice that contributes to seasonal air pollution in the region and beyond. However, the extent to which residents recognize its impact on their own environment and health or in the highly populated areas of Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) has remained unclear. To address this gap, the Aakash Project (led by researchers from Hokkaido University in collaboration with Indian research partners) conducted interviews with 2,202 households across 22 districts in Punjab.
Urban air pollution is recognized, but local sources are undervalued
About 46% of respondents perceived air pollution in Delhi as “severe,” while only 25% viewed air pollution in their own areas of Punjab as severe.
Personal health experience increases awareness
Households with family members experiencing respiratory or cardiovascular problems were more likely to recognize smoke from stubble burning as harmful and to view the practice as a pressing issue requiring action.
The study reveals a perception gap: while urban air pollution is widely acknowledged, the contribution of locally generated smoke from stubble burning remains less recognized. Personal or familial health experiences and health literacy play a crucial role in shaping awareness. These insights suggest that efforts to reduce stubble burning and improve air quality must include clear, locally grounded communication on health impacts, supported by accessible and visible air quality information.
*The Aakash project is exploring ways to shift people's behaviour to sustainable agriculture in the Punjab region to reduce the health hazards caused by air pollution, by clarifying observation-based relationship between straw burning and local air pollution; raising awareness of the importance of maintaining clean air among residents; and proposing the effective and beneficial use of rice straw by farmers.
Article information
Title： Perceptions of air pollution from stubble burning and its health risks in Punjab, India
Journal：Scientific Reports
Authors: Zhesi Yang, Kayo Ueda, Tomohiro Umemura, Kazunari Onishi, Hiroaki Terasaki, Tomoki Nakayama, Yutaka Matsumi, Kamal Vatta, Hikaru Araki, Sachiko Hayashida, Prabir K Patra
Article Publication Date： October 27, 2025
URL：https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21235-8
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About RIHN
The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) is a national institute established in Kyoto in 2001. RIHN aims, through research that integrates the humanities and sciences, to address environmental issues concerning the relationship between "humanity" and "nature" in a broad sense as fundamental issues of human culture. We strive not only to engage the research community but also to collaborate with diverse stakeholders in society, including local residents, to find solutions to global environmental problems.
For more detail, visit https://www.chikyu.ac.jp/rihn_e/.
Journal
Scientific Reports
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Perceptions of air pollution from stubble burning and its health risks in Punjab, India
Article Publication Date
27-Oct-2025