Water & Coal

This theme involves studying the impacts of coal based electricity generation on water.

Given the large magnitude of coal based generation in India and the massive proposed capacity additions, implications for water resources and competing uses of water are enormous. The study looks not just at how much water is used for coal based power generation, but the larger impacts of the entire coal chain on water resources, starting with mining, washing, transport, burning to ash and other waste disposal. We have been looking at three broad impact categories – (a) Disruption of surface and ground water sources for e.g. by mining (b) Actual withdrawal and consumption of water by all these processes in the entire chain, and (c) Pollution and degradation of water resources.

The study looks at what these impacts mean for communities, for ecology, for the viability of the power plants themselves and ultimately for options in the power sector. It is also trying to understand who the gainers and losers are in this process of diversion and degradation of water resources. Last, but most important, we are looking at the decision-making, regulation and governance of this aspect of coal based power generation, particularly water allocation and environmental governance. The aim is to identify any lacunae in the regulation and governance, and suggest ways in which the processes can be strengthened.

The outputs and insights from these studies has been categorized as below. Kindly click below on the respective tiles to go to each section.

This section contains various Reports and Analytical Notes by Manthan’s team members under the Water and Coal theme.

This section contains Articles by Manthan’s team members under the Water and Coal theme.

This section contains Submissions made by Manthan to different Public Authorities under the Water and Coal theme.

This section contains Public Statements & Releases made by Manthan under the Water and Coal theme.

To be updated…

This section contains Presentations made by Manthan under the Water and Coal theme.

To be updated…

This Section contains videos and podcasts on issues related to coal and its impacts on water.