The present study revealed that the traditional cooking practices could load ～2.8±1.2 mg/m~3 of PM_(2.5) in the kitchen, leading to womenfolk at risk. The high variability was observed in the measured values as the concentrations were influenced by several factors such as species of fuel wood used, amount of fuel burnt, duration of cooking, ventilation facility in the kitchen, etc. The calculated health quotient showed that the long-term prolong exposure to such PM_(2.5) concentrations can reduce the lung capacity of the exposed persons due to harmful impacts. A survey about air pollution awareness was also conducted among the village inhabitants, and findings of pollution loading in the kitchen were also shared with them for enabling them to make more informed decisions about choice of fuel types and precautions during the cooking process for avoiding the health risk.
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