Gujarat coal power plants high polluters of deadliest particulate matter

By Rajiv Shah
While Gujarat may have topped Indian states in regularizing power supply to urban and rural areas, data released by a new report, “Coal Kills: Health Impacts of Air Pollution from India’s Coal Power Expansion” suggest this may have led to unprecedented health hazard in the state. The report has found that as of 2014 Gujarat’s coal-fired power plants, with a capacity of 15,900 MW, are emitting in air highest quantity of the deadliest PM2.5, the most dangerous particulate matter (PM), compared to all other state. PM2.5 is known to get absorbed deep in the lungs, causing “aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, lung cancer, cardiac problems, and premature death.”
According to top international environmental body Greenpeace, “Particles less than 2.5 micrometers, approximately 1/30 the average width of a human hair, can lodge deeply into the lungs. Sources of fine particles include all types of combustion, including power plants, motor vehicles and residential wood burning. PM2.5 is readily inhalable and penetrates deep into the lungs. PM2.5 allow for many chemicals harmful to human health to be carried into our internal organs, causing a wide range of illnesses and mortality, including cancer (especially lung cancer), stroke and damage to unborn children.”
The “Coal Kills” report has been prepared by Conservation Action Trust (India), a non-profit organization, and Urban Emissions (Pvt Ltd), an independent research group. Its data show that Gujarat’s coal-fired power plants emit 107 kilotons of PM2.5, the tiny particles which were not recognized as dangerous until relatively recently, though now they are thought to be the most deadly form of air pollution.
The next highest emitter of PM2.5 following Gujarat is Maharashtra (78 kilotons) from its 21,300 MW coal-fired power plants. The report gives no explanation as to why Gujarat’s coal-fired power plants produce such high quantity of the deadly particular matter, though their capacity is considerably less than that of Maharashtra. Other states that produce high PM2.5 are Uttar Pradesh (64 kilotons), Rajasthan (62 kilotons), and Chhattigarh (57 kilotons).

Further data in the report go to suggest that, in Gujarat, plans have been worked out to increase the capacity of coal-fired power plants to 37,700 MW by the year 2030, which will be less than three states -- Chhattisgarh (50,100 MW), Odisha (44,300 MW) and Maharashtra (42,400 MW). Even then, as far as PM2.5 is concerned, Gujarat’s coal-fired power plants will be emitting in air 173 kilotons, highest of all other states – the next highest being Odisha (151 kilotons), Chhattisgarh (149 kilotons) and Maharashtra (144 kilotons).
Suggesting that it is possible to bring down the deadly PM2.5 levels and other hazardous emissions from the coal-fired power plants by 50 per cent through flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems like limestone injection during the combustion process, the report states, “In India, only three coal-fired plants in Maharashtra and one in Karnataka operate FGD systems. According to the Ministry of Environments and Forests, installation of FGD is in process at NTPC Bongaigaon (Assam), NTPC Vindhyachal stage-V (Uttar Pradesh), and Adani Power Mundra Ph-III (Gujarat).”
The report further states, “The Kutch region, with its access to the largest ports, hosts the largest operational TPPs in the country. The Mundra cluster (Gujarat) has a combined generation capacity of 9620 MW between two privately run coal-fired power plants located within 5km of each other. Major cities in the Mundra region are Jamnagar (major industrial port), Rajkot, and Ahmedabad (300km away, with two coal-fired power plants of 1000MW in the city).”

Pointing towards the PM pollution in India, the report says, “The global burden of disease (GBD) for 1990-2010 quantified the trends of more than 200 causes of death and listed outdoor air pollution among the top 10 risks for India, with the outdoor PM2.5 and ozone pollution contributing to an estimated 695,000 premature deaths… The ambient PM pollution was ranked 6th in 1990 with 440,000 annual deaths, which moved to 5th overall in 2010. The morbidity and mortality burden of outdoor air pollution is particularly costly in terms of work days lost, lost productivity, and loss in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), which was approximately USD 23.4 billion and 1.7% of national GDP in 2009.”
The report also finds that Gujarat’s coal-fired power plants emit very high other hazardous gases in the air, including sulphur dioxide or SO2 (highest in India at 309 kilotons); nitrogen oxides (NOx), which, at 275 kilotons, is less than five states (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal); carbon monoxide (CO), which at 231 kilotons, is less than two states (Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh); and carbon dioxide (CO2) which at 152 million tons is less than two states (Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh). For details of health hazards of these gases click HERE.

Comments

When growth shrinks people: Capitalism and the biological decline of the U.S. population

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* Critically acclaimed Hungarian-American economic historian and distinguished scholar of economic anthropometric history, Prof. John Komlos (Professor Emeritus, University of Munich), who pioneered the study of the history of human height and weight, has published an article titled “The Decline in the Physical Stature of the U.S. Population Parallels the Diminution in the Rate of Increase in Life Expectancy” on October 31, 2025, in the forthcoming issue of Social Science & Medicine (SSM) – Population Health, Volume 32, December 2025. The findings of the article present a damning critique of the barbaric nature of capitalism and its detrimental impact on human health, highlighting that the average height of Americans began to decline during the era of free-market capitalism. The study draws on an analysis of 17 surveys from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (...

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

Is vaccine the Voldemort of modern medicine to be left undiscussed, unscrutinised?

By Deepika* Sridhar Vembu of Zoho stirred up an internet storm by tweeting about the possible link of autism to the growing number of vaccines given to children in India . He had only asked the parents to analyse the connection but doctors, so called public health experts vehemently started opposing Vembu's claims, labeling them "dangerous misinformation" that could erode “vaccine trust”!

Justice for Zubeen Garg: Fans persist as investigations continue in India and Singapore

By Nava Thakuria* Even a month after the death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg in Singapore under mysterious circumstances, thousands of his fans and admirers across eastern India continue their campaign for “ JusticeForZubeenGarg .” A large digital campaign has gained momentum, with over two million social media users from around the world demanding legal action against those allegedly responsible. Although the Assam government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has arrested seven people, and a judicial commission headed by Justice Soumitra Saikia of the Gauhati High Court to oversee the probe, public pressure for justice remains strong.

Govt claims about 'revolutionary' rice varieties raise eyebrows: SC order reserved since Jan '24

By Rosamma Thomas * In a matter of grave importance for agriculture, public health awaits Supreme Court ruling, even as top Government of India bureaucrats stand accused of “willful and deliberate disobedience” of the top court. While a contempt petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues , lead petitioner in the Genetic Modification (GM) of crops matter remains pending in the Supreme Court since July 2025, the Union ministry of agriculture asserts that two home-grown gene edited rice varieties are of superior quality, and hold potential for “revolutionary changes in higher production, climate adaptability, and water conservation.” In May 2025, the Press Information Bureau released a press release stating that a “historic milestone” had been reached, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ; the new varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1 , the press release stated, offer both benefits – increased production and environmental conservation.

Banks, investors pour $52 billion into metallurgical coal expansion despite global climate pledges

By A Representative A new report by the German environmental and human rights NGO Urgewald has revealed that banks and institutional investors have poured nearly $52 billion into the expansion of metallurgical coal, or “met coal,” despite global commitments to phase out coal financing. Between 2022 and 2024, banks provided $21.96 billion in loans and underwriting to met coal developers, while investors held $30.23 billion in securities of companies expanding coal mining operations. The report, Still Burning: How Banks and Investors Fuel Met Coal Expansion, warns that loopholes in coal exit policies have allowed continued support for coal used in steelmaking — a sector responsible for about 11% of global CO₂ emissions.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Bihar election: Democracy running away from people’s issues, politics thriving on fake agendas

By Sunil Kumar* Bihar’s political climate is currently heating up. Since the British colonial era, the state has remained trapped in a haze between labour struggles and uneven development, where basic issues such as unemployment, the plight of migrant workers, education, health, agrarian crisis, and corruption are constantly pushed to the background. In their place, absurd debates around “infiltrators,” “Operation Sindoor,” “Article 370,” “pistols,” “burqas,” and nicknames like “Pappu, Tappu, Appu” dominate the discourse.

Neglected dimension: Important linkages of social relationships, values to climate change

By Bharat Dogra A very important but neglected dimension of the efforts to resolve climate change and related serious environmental problems concerns the social values and relationships among people. To bring out the significance of this neglected aspect let us examine the response of two different types of societies. First, let us try to compare a society in which family and community ties are strong and close with another society where these are weak, where there is strong individualism and a very high number of single person households or units. In the first society there is more sharing of resources and facilities, so that this society tends to consume less (to meet needs such as housing and various gadgets). In addition there is much greater possibility in the first society to mobilize people for tasks like greening of community places or even household spaces. When it comes to tasks relating to climate change adaptation, it is the societies with close social relationships wh...

Search This Blog