HAZARDS of

THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Presented by Dr Ashok Kundapur(arkundapur@yahoo.com)

“Coal-fired power plants are the single largest stationary source of pollution in

any country. The toxins these coal fired power plants produce severely damage both human health and the

environment and contribute to a reduced quality of life”

Safenvironment, 5th Sept 2008.

ASH DUMP ON SHORE AT

TPP AT TUTICORINE

ASH ON SHORE

ASH GETTING MIXED WITH SEA WATER

COAST CONVERTED TO CORAL GRAVE YARD

ASH POND –LAKE !

POLLUTANTS EMITTED BY THERMAL POWER PLANTS • COAL DUST• CARBON-DI-OXIDE – Global warming • OTHER GASES LIKE SOX, NOX, OZONE

• FLY ASH• PARTICULATE MATTER (PM)• HOT WATER (treated with chemicals like Chlorine)• HEAT• RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES • Other chemicals like ARSENIC• Heavy metal residues, including Mercury, Chromium • ACID RAIN

HAZARDS

• HEALTH• 1. SKIN• 2. LUNGS• 3. HEART• 4. KIDNEY• 5. REPRODUCTION • 6. BEHAVIORAL

• PROPERTY• AGRICULTURE• ENVIRONMENT

SKIN • Eczema

• Other Major skin disorders

Lesions due to Arsenic pollution

CANCER

HEART

HEART • HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE• HEART FAILURE• ANEMIA• LEUCOMIA • CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA (Deranged Cardiac rhythm)

• ARTERIAL OCCLUSIONS• INFRACT FORMATION (DEATH OF TISSUE IN THE HEART)

• ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFRACTION (Heart attack)

(6000 to 10,700 deaths/year in US alone)

LUNG

AFFET ON LUNGS

• DAMAGE TO NASAL LINING• CHRONIC BRONCHITIES • ASTHAMA • TUBERCULOSIS• CANCER • INFLATIONDue to Beryllium,Hexavalent Chromium,SOx, NOx, Radon,

KIDNEY

Damage due LEAD

which is

Nephrotoxic A Nephron

MINAMATA SYNDROME DUE TO MERCURY SALTS

OTHER REPRODUCTIVE

• REDUCED LOGIVITY

• OTHER BIRTH DEFECTS

• LOWER WEIGHT OF NEW BORN

EARLY DELIVERY

BIRTH DEFECTS

ANEMIA

LOWER WIGHT OF NEW BORN

INCREASED INFANT MORTALITY RATES

BEHAVIORAL

LETHARGY IN CHILDREN

NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS

LOWER IQ

Agricultural losses

At DAHANU

ESTIMATED RS 60 CRORES/ Yr

• At Dahanu loss

• has been

• estimated at

• Rs 60 crores

• per year

• PADDY 15 to 20% REDUCTION IN YIELD

ON MANGO EFFECT TO BE STUDIED Supreme Court direction

LIKELY TO EFFECT ON COCONUT

& ARECA

PALMS

Coastal Fisheries – loss estimated Coastal Fisheries – loss estimated at Rs 65 crores /yr at Tuticorin at Rs 65 crores /yr at Tuticorin

Open cast mining in USA

Sonshi Iron mines of Goa

Opencast mines of Jharia

ACID RAIN WILL DAMAGE

WESTERN GHATS

WHAT THE COMPANY DOES

• Conducts a survey to select spot

• PREPARES AN EIA

• INVARIABLY DECLARES AREA AS BARREN

• OFFERS EXTENSIVE BRIBES

• TRIES TO BREAK CONFIDANCE OF PEEOPLE

THINGS TO BE DONE

• CONDUCT A SURVEY TO ASSESS PRESENT HEALTH SCENERIO, AS TO INCIDENCES OF SKIN, LUNG, HEART AND OTHER ALIMENTS IN UDUPI TALUK

• LET EVERY PERSON KNOW THAT THEY CAN CLAIM COMPENSATION FOR HEATH HAZARDS CAUSED BY THE THERMAL POWER PLANT.

HOW TO PREVENT TPP FROM COMING

• CREATE AWARENESS AMONG PEOPLE OF AREA

• CONDUCT YOUR OWN SURVEY, OF GENERAL HEALTH, POLLUTANTS IN WELL AND RIVER WATER, AMOUNT OF YIELD

• FILE SERIES OF PETITIONS IN HIGH CURTS• MAKE THE POLITICIANS AND

ADMINISTRATORS FEEL THE HEAT OF PEOPLE’S DISSIDENCE

T & D LOSSES ESTIMATED AT 35 TO 40%.

INDIA IS NOW PRODUCING 1,35,000 MW OF POWER AND

LOOSING 47,250 MW.Govt of INDIA PLANNING TO PRODUCE ANOTHER 45,000

MW IN 2-3 YEARS SO LOSSES WILL SORE TO

63,000 MW !!!!!!!

ALTERNATIVES

• REDUCE T & D LOSSES & Manage Demand side

• GO FOR RUN OF THE RIVER HYDRO POWER• TAP SOLAR ENERGY TO THE MAXIMUM• Use SOLAR COOKERS, something you can

do without waiting for YOUR Government• TAP WIND ENERGY WHERE EVER

POSSIBLE• TAP WAVE ENERGY TOO WHEN

TECHNOLOGY BECOMES AVAILABLE

RUN OF THE RIVERS

• GENERATING POWER FROM RUNNING WATER OF RIVER.

• A NEW TECHNOLOGY GETTING POPULAR

• IN KARNATAKA WE HAVE A VERY DYNAMIC INNOVATOR, SRI G K RATNAKAR WHO HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED OVER 250 SUCH UNITS.

THANK YOU

BUT BEWARE !!

&

TAKE CARE