Culinary Insights: Unveiling the Tribes’ Cooking Fuel Index Computed from the 2011 Census Data

Air pollution is commonly categorized into indoor and outdoor air pollution, with outdoor pollution generally perceived as a more significant threat. However, indoor air pollution is often considered less risky, but it poses an equal menace to air quality. Particularly in rural India and among tribal communities, the traditional use of unprocessed bio-cooking fuel emerges as the primary source of indoor air pollution. Tribes, being a vulnerable segment of society, bear a severe impact from this prevalent issue. This paper aims to assess the consumption patterns of cooking fuel among tribes in India, focusing on the Nilgiris region of Tamil Nadu. Although Tamil Nadu is the pioneer state that has taken strides by adopting a policy of providing free LPG connections and is comparatively better at utilizing low-risk cooking materials, even though the situation among tribes remains dire. The Nilgiris tribes are no exception. The findings reveal that, due to economic constraints and the prevalence of biofuels, approximately 90.6 percent of tribes in India continue to rely on high-risk materials as their primary cooking fuel. Consequently, a thorough exploration of this area becomes imperative.