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M. Sc. Dissertations

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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Ergonomic assessment of rural women engaged in cattle milking
    (CCSHAU, 2007) Doomra, Zeena; Kiran Singh
    The present study entitled “Ergonomic assessment of rural women engaged in cattle milking was undertaken in randomly selected villages of Fatehabad district namely Kukranwali and Nakhatia. Under Phase-I a sample of 100 respondents actively engaged in cattle milking were selected to study the involvement pattern of women in dairy related activities. Among these 30 physically fit respondents were selected for ergonomic evaluation of milking activity with existing method. Under Phase-II new techniques and tools were introduced and the best one was selected for ergonomic analysis on the same thirty respondents for the assessment. The result of the study showed that majority of the respondents were of middle age, illiterate, married and had nuclear family system. Sixty percent of the respondents had medium herd size (3-4 cattles). The mean milk production, consumption and sale (litres/day) was 12.48, 4.29 and 8.19 respectively. Maximum time was spent on cleaning the shed and perceived exertion was maximum for fodder transportation. Mean age of the respondent was 31 years having mean height and weight of 156 cm and 55 kg. Majority of the respondents were having mesomorphic body type. The results highlighted that average heart rate, average energy expenditure, TCCW and PCW were not in permissible limit with existing method. Muscular stresses and postural deviation were also found high. So new tool was developed named as “adjustable pihri” in which user can change the heights of pihri according to the comfortability. Than impact assessment of new tool was studied on the same 30 respondents. The use of new tool significantly reduces the physiological and muscular cost of milking activity. Appropriate height of the pihri improves the posture, therefore reducing the musculoskeletal problems while performing the activity.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Improved wood stove : performance assessment and modification
    (CCSHAU, 2007) Singla, Priya; Mehta, Manju
    The present study was undertaken in three villages selected purposively from Hisar district of Haryana state. Fifty respondents selected purposively comprised the sample. The objectives were: to study the performance assessment of already developed improved wood stove; to modify improved wood stove; to undertake the feasibility evaluation of modified wood stove. The study revealed that the traditional wood stove was the main cooking unit used by more than fifty per cent of the respondents. Other cooking unit used was LPG and Hara. Most of the respondents using open area for cooking and used only mud for construction of improved wood stove. While constructing of modified improved wood stove, all the respondents considered the criteria’s of placement, direction, height, width and length. Average time spent in using the wood stove was 3.00 hours/day. Majority were cleaning of wood stove alternate day. Non-commercial fuel like agro waste, cow dung cakes and wood were used by all the respondents. Most of the respondents used separate room for storage of fuel. Major problem in storage of fuel were ‘become wet in rainy reason’, ‘cause bad smell’ and ‘difficult to store big pieces’. Although all the respondents were using improved wood stove, than also they were not satisfied with it. They faced the ‘economical constraints’, ‘technical constraints’, ‘fuel constraints’ ‘cleaning and maintenance’, ‘use constraints’ and ‘health’. Due to the constraints faced in first generation improved wood stove respondents desired certain modifications in it, like ‘decrease the height and width’, ‘increase in size of holes of flame concentration plate’ and ‘used durable material’. The performance evaluation of second generation improved wood stove developed showed that, model M9 (double wall made up of mud with iron rods, grate and flame concentration plate, grate at floor level and increase the hole size of flame concentration plate) required least amount of fuel and produced lesser charcoal and least amount of ash as compared to first generation improved wood stove. It was acceptable by the respondents because this wood stove have higher thermal efficiency and power out put and lesser fuel burning rate and specific fuel consumption. So, model M9 was the better than the first generation improved wood stove. The FRM-II wood stove was acceptable by the respondents in terms of appearance, fuel reduction, and smoke reduction and easy to operate and handle. Feed back data on FRM-II wood stove after 15 days of use showed that users considered it advantageous, cleaning process was convenient. Most of the respondents/users considered FRM-II improved wood stove most feasible for them and negligible considered it not at all feasible. The feasibility index of FRM-II wood stove was 79.6 percent, which was on higher side. Hence it can be concluded that FRM-II wood stove was acceptable to the users.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Occupational health hazards and use of women friendly technologies
    (CCSHAU, 2007) Mer, Supriya; Sangwan, Veena
    India is an agrarian country. Maximum of the Indian population depends on agriculture only for their livelihood. Women play a significant role in agriculture. They perform various agricultural activities and experience a number of health hazards. The root cause of these hazards was use of wrong body postures, other physical, mechanical and environmental factors and use of traditional agricultural tools and technologies. Thus the objectives of the study were to assess the occupational health hazards of rural women in the farm sector, to investigate the usage pattern of women friendly technologies in farm sector and to study the factors affecting the use of these technologies. The present study was undertaken in Hisar and Ambala districts of Haryana state. Six villages from Hisar district and two villages from Ambala district were selected purposively. A total of 150 farm women constituted the sample of the study. Four crops, viz. wheat, cotton, paddy and maize were selected for the study. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were in the age range of 20-35 years, could read and write only (33.33%), belonged to middle caste (52.00%), joint family (55.33%), having more than 10 members in their family (54.66%). They faced maximum health hazards due to physical factors in maize with a mean score of 4.32, paddy (3.80), wheat (3.71) and cotton (3.64). This was because they were using standing pasture for long hrs while maize cultivation. Maximum health hazards due to mechanical factors experienced in paddy (2.53), wheat (2.30), cotton (1.94) and maize (0.49). Environmental factors also contributed to health hazards in paddy (3.53), maize (3.28), cotton (3.12) and wheat (3.10). The reason for this may be that the respondents had to stand for long hours in water while transplanting of paddy and other activities of paddy cultivation are also performed in harsh weather conditions. Results also revealed that farm women were using pick bag (3.24), improved sickle (3.20), capron (3.08), weeder (1.00), hand ridger (1.000 and tabular maize sheller (0.66). During the study, it was found that age (6.95*), caste (7.34), family type (8.57*), education of the respondents (16.83*), occupation of the respondents (6.76*) and family income (7.71*) were significantly associated with the use of women friendly agricultural tools, i.e. these were the factors affecting the use of these tools.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of indoor air pollution in rural kitchens through traditional chulha
    (CCSHAU, 2009) Kritika Singh; Sehgal, Binoo
    (An Abstract of the dissertation submitted to the CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in the subject of Family Resource Management) Present study was undertaken in two villages each selected randomly from Hisar district of Haryana state purposively. Hundred respondents were randomly selected for the study. The objectives were: 1. To assess the use pattern of chulha and awareness level regarding ill-effects caused due to emission of smoke from chulha. 2. To explore and measure the indoor air pollutants present in rural kitchens due to smoke from traditional chulha. 3. To test acceptability of remedial measures to overcome pollution due to chulha smoke. The study revealed that the traditional chulha was the main cooking unit used by all the respondents. Other cooking units used were LPG stove, kerosene stove and smokeless chulha (with pipe). Ventilator, door and window were not present in home of most of the respondents. Most of the cooking activities was done on traditional chulha, other cooking units were used for specific cooking. Near about 45 percent used traditional chulha due to habitual taste. Most of the respondents used traditional chulha in open area while LPG stove and kerosene store and smokeless chulha were used in covered area. Majority of the respondents complained about breathing problem caused due to smoke of chulha. All the respondents considered LPG stove safe for health. It was found that SPM, SO2 and NO2/NO3 present in smoke of traditional chulha was more as compared to that in improved chulha and permissible limit during cooking. Having open ventilators in kitchen was the most acceptable remedial measure by the respondents.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Health hazards of women working in paddy cultivation
    (CCSHAU, 2008) Sunita Kumari; Kiran Singh
    The present study entitled “Health hazards of women working in paddy cultivation” was undertaken in randomly selected villages of Kaithal district namely Kaul and Deoban and from Kurukshetra district village Mirzapur and Kirmich. Under phase-I a sample of 200 respondents actively involved in paddy cultivation were selected to study the work pattern and health hazards of women in paddy cultivation. Among these 15 farm women from each district were selected randomly for ergonomic evaluation in paddy transplanting and harvesting activity. Under phase-II remedial measures were introduced to 50 farm women for two most chronic health problems. Evolvement and feasibility testing of remedial measures was done. The result of the study showed that majority of the respondents were of young age, illiterate, belonged to middle caste, had medium level of family education status and had nuclear family system. Sixty per cent of the respondents had occupation as agriculture and 39 per cent of them were landless. Average number of days 40.82 spent annually by farm women in paddy cultivation were highest in transplanting activity and time spent hrs/day in harvesting activity was 9.39. Participation of women was found highest (84%) in transplanting activity. Skin allergy (WMS 2.42) and asthma (WMS 2.4) were found most common physiological problems. Transplanting paddy emerged out to be the most hazardous activity in all the activities of paddy cultivation. The results highlighted that average heart rate (128 bpm and 129 bpm), average energy expenditure (11.6 kj/min and 11.8 kj/min) were found to be high in transplanting and harvesting activity. Musculoskeletal problems exhibited severe pain in low back (4.8) followed by mid back (4.1) and upper back (4.0). Waterproof socks as a remedial measure for skin problem and capron for reducing the breathing problem were provided to the respondents.