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Most discussions around air pollution focus on smog-choked skylines and traffic-clogged roads. Yet, the air that poses the greatest risk to our health and economy, may be the one we breathe indoors. In India, where people spend nearly 90% of their time inside homes, offices, or schools, indoor air quality (IAQ) has quietly emerged as both a public health concern and a financial liability. “Indoor air quality is not a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a balance-sheet risk,” says Prof. Sankar Ganesh of BITS Pilani, who, along with Dr. Atun Roychoudhury, has been studying the economic impact of poor indoor environments. Their recent research shows that routine indoor and nearby activities from construction dust and cooking fumes to cleaning chemicals and incense smoke frequently push PM2.5 and PM10 levels well beyond safe limits. These pollutants, coupled with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and benzene, are known to impair cognition and respiratory health. The issue worsens in winter months, when stagnant air traps particulate matter, and during festive seasons, when candles, diyas, and fireworks compound the problem. “Ignoring this shifts costs to employees, customers, and payers,” Prof. Ganesh warns. “Our data show that poor IAQ contributes directly to higher healthcare claims, absenteeism, lower throughput, and safety incidents. The fix is operational, not philosophical, measure, ventilate, filter, and reduce emissions at the source.” Their study proposes an India-specific IAQ Scale, integrating household survey data with pollutant severity weights to help organizations and policymakers better assess risk. Prof. Ganesh argues that CFOs and COOs must treat indoor air as a measurable business KPI. “Link it to productivity, error rates, and ESG compliance,” he adds. “The ROI is clear: fewer sick days, higher cognitive performance, and lower rework.” Complementing this economic view, Dr. Vivek Singh, Director of Respiratory & Sleep Medicine, Medanta, Gurugram, emphasizes the health consequences of indoor neglect. “Indoor air quality is often overlooked, yet it directly affects both our health and our economy,” he notes. “Many believe pollution is an outdoor issue, but the air inside our homes, offices, and schools can be just as harmful, sometimes even worse.” Dr. Singh explains that contaminants like dust, mold, cooking fumes, and chemical residues gradually accumulate indoors, leading not only to irritation or allergies but to chronic respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. “For businesses, this means more sick days and lower productivity. For households, it’s more doctor visits and a declining quality of life,” he says. Both experts agree that improving IAQ is one of the most cost-effective health and productivity interventions available today. Simple measures from upgrading ventilation and filtration systems to using low-emission cleaning agents and segregating waste to cut methane and odors can yield measurable improvements. “The air we breathe indoors should be seen as a shared responsibility,” concludes Dr. Singh. “It’s about prevention protecting health, boosting efficiency, and reducing long-term medical and economic burdens.” As India urbanizes and builds vertically, the question is no longer whether we can afford to clean our indoor air it’s whether we can afford not to.
