Teacher Guleshwari Sahoo Helping a Boy to wear N95 Respirator in Chhattisgarh

Purenakhar village gets fly ash from NTPC and Chhattisgarh state power Generation Company ash ponds. During summer months, childrens' midday meal, drinking water and books are covered with ash. Purenakhar primary school has 38 students (18 boys and 19 girls) at times children complain about eye burning and cough. On those days, teachers are forced to close the school to keep the children safe. Teachers asked about the situation to the district headquarter but noone took any actions. Parents can’t do much against the TPP’s because most of the family members work at the TPP as a daily wageworker and they have lost their farmland to the TPP and their livelihood depends on TPP.

Coal plants in Korba generate over 200 lakh tones of highly polluting fly ash annually, according to Centre for Science and Environment. ‘Fly-ash’ refers to fine particles of ash sent up by the burning of solid fuel-like coal. Typically, this is the residue of ash generated by thermal power companies. Due to its toxic nature, the government has mandated that fly-ash must be dumped in ash ponds, which are specially made on vacant lands. However, this mandate is not strictly observed and casual dumping has resulted in the poisoning of air, water and land in areas close to the power plants. This has also had a negative impact on the health of people living in those areas. Illnesses like heart disease, lung cancer, both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma are increasing.

Purenakhar village, Korba district, Chhattisgarh, India, 2017.