Resident of a slum located on the outskirts of Nagpur city in Maharashtra, Jadhav suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a potentially fatal condition causing restricted airflow in the lungs, breathing difficulties and, most often, a chronic cough that may eventually damage the lungs. Often called ‘smoker’s disease’, nearly 30 per cent to 40 per cent of COPD cases in low and middle income countries are patients with a history of tobacco-smoking, says the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Around six lakh Indians die prematurely every year due to air pollution, a 2019 Lancet study estimated, and household air pollution is a significant factor in ambient air quality.