Peoples’ perception on pollution and its impact on public health: an empirical study in Uluberia town with particular reference to the air pollution caused by bone crushing u

Uluberia is a small sub-divisional town in Haora district, situated at the west bank of Hooghly River. Nine Bone Mills are located in the southern part of the town. They are engaged in crashing up the dry animal bones and producing ‘bone dusts’ for various industrial usages. Ministry of Environment, Government of India, has categorized this kind of factories as ‘ordinary red’. They can potentially harm public health and thus are ‘officially’ not allowed to operate in the vicinity of a residential area. Present study reveals that the people, residing near the bone mills, are suffering from acute nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia and several other diseases. Several conflicts between the mill owners and the local residents have already been taken place and the problem is fast escalating in magnitude.