Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CHAPTER -V
In the last chapter an attempt was made to study the impact of the pollution
caused by the stone mills located in Timchirapalli district on their employees. The
employees are the people who are directly affected by pollution as they are working
at the very sources of pollution. But the particulate matter and respirable dust
particle pollution caused by the stone mills affect the households near the place of
pollution. In the case of cement industry the particulate matter spreads as far as 3 to
5 kilometers. But that is not case with stone crusher units. The dust pollution caused
by them cannot travel beyond a distance of one kilometer from the source of
pollution. In this chapter an attempt lias been made to study the impact of such
pollution on the households within the range of one kilometer from the stone mills.
The households are located in the villages nearby. There are about 221
households in the region earmarked for the survey. Of them there are agricultural
Seventy households from the each of two groups have been selected for this study
on the basis of random sampling. The data collected from these households have
The 140 households are found to be located in three villages situated with in
the range of one kilometer from the stone mills. Particulars of the households
TABLE 5.1
RESIDENTS OF RESPONDENTS
households have been selected from Aravankurchi and Thuvakudi at the rate 18
households from each. In the case of non-farmer households all the 70 have been
The households selected for the study have been residing in the area for over
TABLE 5.2
81 percent have been residing in their present location for a period varying from 46
to be residing in the present location for less than 30 years. Majority of non-
agricultural respondents have stated that it is a habit with them to move from place
TABLE 5.3
AGE COMPOSITION OF FARMERS AND OTHER RESPONDENTS
The table shows the distribution of respondents in both the groups, namely,
farmers and others, according to their age. As far as reqwndent farmers are
concerned a significant percentage (47.14 per cent) is found in the age group 36 to
54 years. The next significant group is found in the age group 18 to 36 (28.57 per
cent). Thus altogether more than 75 per cent of the respondent farmers belong to the
age group 18 to 54 years. The average and standard deviation age of respondent
is 30.56. In the case of other respondents 48.29 are in the group 36 to 54 years.
Thus more than 92 per cent of the otherrespondentsis found in the age group 18 to
54 years. The average and standard deviation age of other rei^ndents are 37.54
is less variation in the age of other respondents as the co-efificient of variation is less
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158
than that of thefenners.It is significant to notefix)mthe table that only one case of
In Indian villages the caste factor plays an important role in deciding the
TABLE 5.4
BC 56 80.00 12 17.14
MBC 2 2.86 42 60.00
SC/ST 12 17.14 16 22.86
TOTAL 70 100.00 70 100.00
60 per cent of other respondent belongs to the backward classes. The number of
respondents in the SC/ST category is greater in tlie case of other households than in
the case of the agricultural households. An attempt has been made to find out
whether there is any significant relationship between the type of employment and
the castes of the respondents by using the chi-square method. The value of the X is
9.714. The 5 per cent of table value for 2 degrees offi-eedomis 5.991. As the
calculated value is greater than the table value it can be concluded that there is the
significant relationship between the caste of respondents and their occupation. More
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where as in the case of respondents employed in the other trades 60 per cent belong
to MBC. The educational status of the present respondent is shown in Table 5.5.
TABLE 5.5
EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF FARMERS AND OTHER RESPONDENTS
It is significant to note that the level of illiteracy is higher in the case of other
respondents (35.71 per cent) than in the case of respondentformers(17.14 per cent).
It is fiirther significant to note that the percentage of the respondents who have
studied up to the secondary level is the same in both the categories of respondents
(40 per cent). An attempt was made to measure the significance of the relationship
between tlie occupation of the respondents and their educational status by using the
Chi-squaie test The value of the X^ is 13.39. The X^ table value for 3degree of
freedom at 5 per cent level is 7.815. As tlie calculated value is greater than the table
The study has shown the size of households of the regwndents. hifonnation
Table 5.6
In the case of respondent fanners the study has shown that the size of
the case of other respondents it has been found that 44.29 per cent have households
of 3 to 4 members. There is not much difference between the two categories as fer
that more than 95 per cent of respondents of the both the groups are married. The
TABLE 5.7
MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS
TABLE 5.8
Terraced 21 18
Tiled 31 15
Thatched 18 37
Total 70 70
occupying thatched houses. In the case of the other respondents 37 out of 70 Uve in
162
thatched dwellings and fifteen in tiled houses. The remaining eighteen are
square test was employed. The calculated X^ value is 12.36, which is greater the
table value (5.991) for 2 degrees of freedom at 5 per cent level. As the calculated
value is greater than the table value it can be concluded that there is a relationship
l)etween the occupation of the respondents and type of dwelling in which they
reside.
For the households Uving in the region, which are likely to be affected by
pollution it is necessary to ensure that proper civic amenities like good drinking
water, good drainage and proper roads are made available. The opinion of the
respondents about the civic amenities available to them is shown in Table 5.9.
TABLE 5.9.
RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT CIVIC AMENITIES IN THEIR AREA
As far as drinking water is concerned almost all the households in the both
the categories feel that it is of good quality. The same is not true of drainage
quality of the drainage. Only 32 agricultural households constituting 45.71 per cent
of the sample in the other two villages have expressed the opinion that drainage
facilities in the villages are poor. With regard to roads almost all the respondents in
the both the groups have expressed total satisfaction about their present conditions.
TABLE 5.10
More than 75 per cent of therespondentsin the both the groups have stated
that they owned a ratio. A significant percentage in the both the group is found to
own television sets also. To find out the nature of therelationsliipbetween the
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occupation of the teq>ondents and the households appliances owned by them a chi-
squaie test was employed. The value of the X^ is 3.305 the table value for 3 degrees
offreedomat 5 per cent level of significance is 7.815. Clearly the calculated value
is less than the table value. From this it may be inferred that there is no association
As has been previously noted 70 households selected for the present study
are non-agricultural ones. The heads of these households are engaged in different
Table 5.11.
TABLE 5.11
OCCUPATION OF OTHER RESPONDENTS
From the table it is clear that a significant percentage (50 per cent) are
engaged in technical trades and small indudries, which are found scattered near
One of the objectives of tiie present study is to find out the extent to which
the pollution caused by the stone crushing units in the studyregionhas affected the
stone mills. Before the advent of the stone crusher units people in the regions used
to complain of illness such as fever and stomach problem. But after the stone
crusher units came into the region diseases such as eye and skin aihnent,
individuals affected by diseases before and after the entry of stone crushing units
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166
TABLE 5.12
0 0 15 21.43 11 15.71
0 1 5 7.14 1 1.43
0 2 4 5.71 1 1.43
0 3 11 15.71 9 12.86
0 4 3 4.29 5 7.14
0 5 10 14.28 10 14.29
0 6 7 10.00 18 25.71
1 6 3 4.29 4 5.71
6 6 1 1.43 0 0.00
0 15 2 2.86 1 1.43
0 16 2 2.86 0 0.00
0 26 0 0.00 1 1.43
0 35 1 1.43 1 1.43
1 35 1 1.43 4 5.71
0 46 0 0.00 1 1.43
0 56 3 4.29 1 1.43
1 56 2 2.85 2 2.86
0->NIL
l-> FEVER
2 -> TUBERCULOSIS
3 -> EYE AND SKIN DISEASES
4-> ASTHMA
5 -> DIARRHOEA
6 -> STOMACH PROBLEM
and 11 out of 70 other households have stated that their members have not been
affected by prolonged illness. This does not mean that the members of these
households have not at allfeUensick. They may have occasional spells of common
ailments like cold and flu. Apart from these 26 households die others have stated
that their members have been subject to prolonged illness such as asthma, T.B, eye
illness, 27 have mention^ that their members liave been sufferingfiromeye and
skin diseases. Nine households have complained that one or more members are
suffering fix)m asthma. Similarly 6 households have stated that some of their
members are suffering from T.B prolonged stomach problem seems to be the
this region only after the advent of the stone crusher units. This point has been
made to find out the duration of illnessreportedby the members of the sample
households. Particulars about the duration of illness are given in Table 5.13.
TABLE 5.13
per cent have been suffering from ilhiess caused by the pollution because of the
location of the stone crusher units in this region. Altogether 11 respondents from
both the groups have stated that they have been suffering from illness from 4 to 6
years. They are the people affected by asthma and skin diseases. The very feet that
majority of both the groups have stated that they have been suffering from illness
for a long period goes to prove the fact that pollution is the major cause of illness of
the region.
169
An attempt was made to find outfi-omthe respondents the causes for such a
prolonged illness in the region. The information given by them is shown in the table
given below.
TABLE 5.14
Out of 140 respondents 22 did not give any response. They are the people
who have claimed that they have not been affected by tlie pollutionfi-omthe stone
crusher units. Absolute majority in the both the groups have stated that the stone
The study has reviewed the types of medical assistance availed by the
TABLE 5.15
The table clearly shows that many of therespondentsin the both the groups
are not in the habit of going to hospitals run by the state govermnent and local
bodies. Out of 140 respondents only 18 have stated that they have visited
government hospitals over the period of time. Only 12 households have stated that
they have visited hospitals run by the local bodies. The data given in the table
clearly show that majority of the households in the both the groups are in the habit
The sample households in the both the categories have stated that some of
the members have been taking treatment continuously to get them cured of diseases
like T.B., eye and skin diseases and asthma. An attempt was made in the study to
find out the average monthly expenditure incurred by the sample households on
treatment of diseases the particulars of which are given in the table below.
171
TABLE 5.16
MONTHLY AVERAGE COST OF TREATMENT INCURRED BY THE
SAMPLE HOUSHOLDS
which is less than Rs.400. However in tliis group 12 reqwndents (17.14) have
reported that they have been spending more than Rs.400 by way of medical
expenditure. The average medical expenditure in this group is more tlian the
and die standard deviation Rs. 143.15. The average medical expenditure for the
other group is Rs.244.29 and the standard deviation Rs. 179.39. To test the equality
of the average expenditure by the two categories of the respondents the normal test
172
statistics has been used. Tlie calculated value (Z) is greater tlian the normal table
value at 1 per cent level of significance. It is therefore concluded that the average
monthly medical expenditures are not equal for the two categories of the
respondents. It has been found to be high in the case of the other respondents
because they happen to live near by the stone mills. Hence the hypothesis that the
shorter the distance of theresidencefromthe stone crusher units the greater will be
the intensity of the pollution has been found to be true from an analysis of the
because of illness. The particulars, of man-days lost by them and the causes for the
TABLE 5.17
0 10 14.29 13 18.57
1 1 1.43 1 ^ 1.43
2 4 5.71 3 4.29
3 3 4.29 3 4.29
4 7 10.00 7 10.00
5 5 7.14 5 7.14
6 2 2.86 2 2.86
7 22 31.43 20 28.57
8 1 1.43 2 2.86
23 2 2.86 2 2.86
24 2 2.86 1 1.43
25 1 1.43 1 1.43
26 1 1.43 1 1.43
34 3 4.29 3 4.29
36 1 1.43 1 1.43
37 3 4.29 3 4.29
38 1 1.43 1 1.43
347 1 1.43 1 1.43
Total 70 100.00 70 100.00
Source: Primary Data
0-Nil
1 - Tuberculosis
2 - Fever & Headache
3 - Stomach Problem
4 - Eye & Skin diseases
5 - Diarrhoea
6 - Asthma
7 - Woric not available or holiday
8 - Others
174
The data given in the table show that 23 respondents had not abstained from
work. Forty-two reqwndents had to absent themselves from work as work was not
available to them. The remaining 75 respondents have abstained from work for one
woik because of eye and skin diseases caused Ity pollution. Another common
reason given by the respondents for abstention from work is diarrhoea. The study
has shown that out of 140 respondents 75 have incurred man-days loss because of
To find out the economic status of the respondents particulars regarding their
annual income have been wUected and analysed. The particulars are presented
TABLE 5.18
It is evident Erom tlie table that 87 per cent of respondent fenneis have
declared that their annual income, is less than Rs. 30000. In the case of the other
respondents the percentage is only 61.43. It is significant note that while 20 per cent
of fenner respondents have declared that they are getting Rs.lOOOO per year, the
incidence is particularly nil in the other groups. That means poverty is more intense
in agricultural households than in the other households. The mean valuations for the
two categories are Rs. 19000 for former respondents and Rs.29285.71 for other
respondents. The standard deviation for both the groups is Rs. 12351.98 for fanners
and Rs. 13477.12 for others. The co-efficient of variation is Rs.65.01 in the case of
farmers and 46.02 in the case of others. From these in can be concluded that the
average annual income of the other respondents is greater tlian that of the formers.
respondents are in no way different from the people living in the other rural areas.
An attempt has been made in the present study tofindout the extent of indebtedness
TABLE 5.19
INDEBTEDNESS OF RESPONDENTS
declared that they have no debt whatsoever. In the case of other rei^ndents out of
percentage of the both the groups are found to be not indebted. Moreover more than
44 per cent of there^wndentsin the both the groups are found to be indebted to the
tune of less than Rs. 10000. Only five agricultural households and ten other
households have stated that they have to clear to debt of more than Rs. 10000.
The study covers 70 agricultural households. These are households which are
cultivating wet and dry land holdings either on ownership basis or on lease. Out of
the 70 agricultural households 64 have declared that they are cultivating only their
own land. While the remaining 6 have stated tliat they are cultivating land held on
lease. As fer as dry land holdings are concerned all die households are found to
cultivate only their own holdings. Particulars of land held are given in Table 5.20.
177
TABLE 5.20
HOUSEHOLDS.
hold only less than four acres. That means the absolute majority of the farmer
held by the 22 households is quite insignificant. Twenty households own less than
one acre, which in dry land is very insignificant. The average acres of wetland
cultivation holding is 3.21 acres, where as the average of dry is 0.18 acres.
The advent of stone crushers to the shidy area has posed the problem to the
these units, has afifected the quality of the land. Many of the sample agricultural
households complained that pollution caused by the stone mills has affected that
fertility of the soil. In order to verify the statement of these agricultiiral households
the research scholar arranged for the test of the sample soil taken from the three
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revealed that the alkaline contained in the soil is above the optimum level. The soil-
testing laboratoiy has recommended the use of 1000 to 4200 kgms, of gypsum
depending upon the extent of alkalinity in the soil. Tlie sample households opinion
TABLE 5.21
It is clear from the table that 84.29 per cent of the respondents have declared
that thefertiUtyof their land has dechned after the advent of the stone mills. They
beheve that it is due to the pollution caused by the stone mills. They have come to
the conclusion not on the basis of any test conducted with the help of the soil-
testing laboratory but on the basis of the increase in the use of gypsum, fertilizer
and manure in the recent years. Th^ feel that while die cost of the cultivation has
The damage caused by the pollution to the land holdings in the study area is
not uniform. Particulars of the extent of land affected by pollution given by the
/: a
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179
TABLE 5.22
Out of 70 househokis 20 have stated that pollution caused by the stone mills
has not in any way ajQFecxd the condition of their land. All the other households
believe that the pollution aas caused damage to their land even though there are
differences in the extent cf damage given by them. 62.85 per cent of the households
liave stated that tlie extent of damage is confined to an acre. The others have
The damage of land due to pollution had affected yield in the region. The
below.
180
TA^LE 5.23
Rupees)
Out of 70 households >0 have stated that they have not incurred any cost of
rehabilitation of lajid. 46 households (65.71 per cent) have stated that they have
incurred rehabilitation cost r) to Rs,30(X) for the purpose of improving the fertilit)'
of the land affected by poUutior. Only 4 households liave stated tliat tliey incurred
that tlie yield of paddy from land has been on tlie decline over the period of years.
To find out the correctness of this assertion the researcher collected data with the
regard to yield of padd>' per ccre reLiting to the three villages co\ered by the present
study, namely Thuvakudi, Ajavankurichi and De\'arayaneri over the period of ten
years fix)m 1990. The avenge of tlie yield of paddy foe the three villages during
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TABLE 5.24 A
(in Quintals)
Village 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Total
Avge.
Aravankuiichi 1242 11.61 11.72 11.50 11.31 10.73 10.52 10.05 10.12 10.10 11.01
Devarayaneri 15.30 14.55 14.32 13.877 13.65 13.42 13.12 1297 1275 1222 13.62
Tliuvakudi 13.80 13.10 1240 11.80 1260 1240 11.80 1200 11.60 11.20 1226
Total Average 13.84 13.05 1281 1239 1252 1218 11.81 11.67 11.49 11.17 -
TABLE 5.24 B
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Year
Average
yiled 13.84 13.05 12.81 12.39 12.52 12.18 11.81 11.69 11.49 11.17
(in quintals)
Table 5-24 (A) provides information about the average yield of paddy per
acre in the three villages from 1990 to 1991. The vertical colmnn at the end
provides the average for the village as a whole for the said period. The horizontal
column at the bottom of the table provides infonnation about the average yield of
paddy for the three villages together (in quintals). It can be seen that the average
yield of pad^ for the three villages has been dechning over the period. It is hence
evident that the average yield of paddy over years follows a linear model. The
Y =-0.259 x +528.8081
Here y denotes the average yield of paddy and x denotes the year. The
model states that the annual rate of average yield of paddy is 0.259. This means
that every year the average yield of paddy is decreasing at the rate of 0.259. The
above model may be used for forecasting the yield of paddy. For example the
average yield of paddy in all the three study villages for the year 2000 would be
10.8687 quintals and for the year 2001 it would be 10.6097 quintals.
maintaining livestock they get income from dififerent ways and they also get manure
for the lands. The sample agricultural households are no exceptions to this trend.
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183
The table given below provides an idea about the number of livestock heads
TABLE 5.25
Up to 9 20 29.41
9-18 31 45.59
18-27 U 20.61
Above 27 3 4.39
Total 70 100.00
Source: Primary Data
From the table it is clear that more than 45 per cent of the 68 house holds
TABLE 5.26
to be important in terms of the milk yielded by them and the income brought by
them to the households. Next to the cows, sheep and poultry help the households to
One of the objectives of the study is to find out the impact of stone mills
pollution on the yield and weight of animals in the stud^ area. Particulars of loss of
yield from animals held by the sample households are given in Table 5.27.
TABLE 5.27
In the table given above the loss of yield has been quantified in terms of
money based on tlie prevailing market prices of the products .We have already seen
that only 68 households own hvestock heads. Of them 23(33.82 per cent) have not
complained of any loss of yield. Nearly 40 per cent of the households have stated
185
that they have lost up to Rs. 1500 per year because of the decUne in yield caused by
pollution .The remaining 18 households have stated that loss incurred by them in a
year is more than Rs. 1500. Thefiguresshown in the table confirm the fact that there
has been decline in die yield of animals in tlie study area. The average loss of yield
is Rs.l 114.30 and the standard deviation is 1333.70. This shows that there is much
variation in the loss of yield from the livestock. The 23 households, which have not
Therefore the hypothesis that farther the distance of households from the source of
pollution the less will be the decline in the yield and revenue from the livestock is
valid.
TABLE 5.28
Cow 26
Buffalo 7
Bullock 6
Ox 3
Goat 12
Sheep 14
Poultry I
Total 69
Even though the loss of weight of animals is not a significant problem in the
area it is to be noted that all the animals have suffered a marginal loss of weight,
Apart from loss of yield and loss of weight of hvestock, certain diseases have
affected the livestock heads in the study area. The sample households complained
that the diseases have become common only after the establishment of stone mills
TABLE 5.29
Nearly 28 per cent of tlie households have stated that they have not availed
the service of the veterinary doctors for curing the diseases of the livestock. 48.53
187
per cent have incurred exTJenditure up to Rs. 200 per year in tliis regard. The
remaining households have spent above the Rs. 400 per year for availing the service
TABLE 5.30
The particulars given in the table show that 30.88 per cent of tlie agricultural
households have not spend any amount in procuring medicines for anunals. 54.42
percent of households have stated that they are spending up to Rs.200 for buying
The shidy has shown the impact of stone mill pollution on selected
in the form of continued illness, increasing medical expenses, abstention from woric
to considerable extent which have affected the economic status of some of these
households. In the case of the sample agricultural households tlie impact is varied
and many. Pollution from the stone mills has affected their health and their work
efficienc}'. Their medical expenses have increased. The fertihty of the land has
declined. The yield from the lands lias also dechned because pollution has affected
the process of photosynthesis. Apart from these the stone mill pollution has also
affected the livestock heads maintained by the sample households in terms of yield,