Greenpeace India on Friday released data on the water consumption patterns of coal power plants in seven drought affected states, stating that coal power plants in these states consume water that could meet the basic needs of 50 million people for a year.
The drought-hit states it listed are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh.
“Coal power plants are amongst the most intensive industrial users of fresh water. Despite this being a drought year, the water consumption of coal power plants in India has not received sufficient attention from policy makers and government,” Greenpeace India said in a press statement.
“This drought has been devastating for millions of people, yet we continue to ignore one of the biggest water guzzlers in the country, the coal power sector,” says Jai Krishna, Greenpeace Campaigner.
Krishna said, “Given that given the scant water supply, we have to priorities meeting basic human needs and livelihoods over water being diverted for operating a power plant.”
