In eastern India’s coal belt, daily life is shaped by relentless air pollution from mining and thermal power plants. Residents describe constant exposure to coal dust, leading to breathing difficulties, chronic illness and rising healthcare costs. In Jharkhand’s Bokaro district, where coal production exceeds 200 million metric tons annually, women are stepping in where authorities failed. Trained as “Paryavaran Sakhis,” or friends of the environment, they monitor harmful PM2.5 and PM10