A grassroots group of women in Jharkhand mapped air pollution around coal mines in their villages — and forced the coal company to act within months.

Trained in air-quality mapping, the women measured pollution hotspots, surveyed community health perceptions and took their data to Central Coalfields Limited, unions and district officials.

The company responded: coal is now covered with tarpaulin during transport, water sprinklers spray thrice daily on truck roads, AQI monitors were installed at three public places in Bokaro, and dust barriers went up around mines.

“All this work happened in three to four months because the locals supported us in a big way,” said Sushma Devi, one of the women. Researchers say the model can be replicated anywhere.

The women’s success has drawn attention from researchers studying citizen science in India. Their next goal is year-round monitoring to track pollution levels across all seasons.

The group began its work with basic training in using low-cost air-quality sensors and mapping software, provided by a local environmental organisation.