| The complete article is also available at | | | | rehabilitation measures. The environmental problems |
| There was certainly an element of surprise in the | | | | caused by burning and mining of coal are unrelenting. |
| market when the Indian GDP numbers for the | | | | The operations of Thermal power stations aren't going |
| September 2009 quarter were released. India had | | | | good either. The plants are now facing newer |
| clocked a record GDP growth of 7.9 percent as | | | | problems due to insufficient domestic coal supply. India |
| against the market expectations of 6.3 percent. The | | | | is experiencing shortages in the production of domestic |
| Indian bellwether indexes Sensex and Nifty reached | | | | coal and has now started to import coal. Recently |
| new highs for the year after the announcement of | | | | around 23 Thermal power stations including the Super |
| GDP numbers. | | | | thermal power stations like NTPC faced critical coal |
| India is witnessing a rapid economic growth, and so | | | | stock levels and had to cut down their production |
| with it are the growing energy needs of the country. | | | | levels. The power cuts were imminent. As per a study |
| Power demand in the country touched an all-time high | | | | India Inc has supposedly lost Rs.43,205 crore in |
| of 99,027 MW recently, a year-on-year growth of | | | | 2008-09 due to power outages. There are also |
| over 16%. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in | | | | growing fears now that at the current rate of coal |
| US where the overall power consumption is expected | | | | consumption the coal reserves of India may get |
| to decline by over 1.4%. According to forecasts from | | | | exhausted by 2040 and India may have to to depend |
| Mckinsey and company[2008], India’s demand for | | | | entirely on coal imports. |
| power is set to soar to as much as 315,000 MW by | | | | Relying on imports for domestic energy production?? |
| 2017 at an average GDP growth rate of 8% per year, | | | | This is a serious energy security concern for India and |
| which is more than double the demand for power | | | | is in stark contrast to India's energy independence |
| from now. To meet these humongous energy | | | | plans. To recall on the eve of the 59th Independence |
| demands the nation has to scale up rapidly its power | | | | Day, the President of India had emphasized that |
| generating sources. | | | | energy independence should be India’s first and |
| Currently the power needs of India are primarily met | | | | highest priority, and the nation must be determined to |
| by Thermal power stations followed by Hydro, | | | | achieve this within 25 years. The President had called |
| Renewable (mainly Wind) and Nuclear power stations. | | | | for ‘‘an economy which will function well with |
| Thermal power stations account for nearly 60% of | | | | total freedom from oil, gas or coal imports’’. To |
| India’s total power generation and these power | | | | achieve energy independence, India has to reduce its |
| stations are predominantly Coal based. | | | | reliance on energy sources based on imported fuels |
| India has got domestic reserves of Coal but | | | | and look for indigenous sources of power generation. |
| unfortunately around 80% of coal available in India is | | | | If not for the reasons of environmental pollution and |
| characterized by high ash content of 35-45%. Burning | | | | global warming, at least for the costs of operating, |
| of this inferior quality coal, results in higher Carbon | | | | shortages of coal supply and for achieving energy |
| emissions and lesser efficiency. It also releases | | | | independence, India has to move aggressively towards |
| hazardous substances like Nitrogen Oxide, Sulphur | | | | non coal based power generation sources. The |
| Oxide, particulate matters, bottom ash and Fly ash. | | | | alternatives available for non coal source are not only |
| Causes of several diseases like Asthma, Tuberculosis, | | | | much efficient but also much greener. The important |
| Black lung, kidney diseases and many more have been | | | | ones among the alternatives are Solar Energy, Nuclear |
| attributed to these emissions. Coal mining which is done | | | | Energy, Wind Energy, Natural gas and Biomass. The |
| to extract coal to feed into thermal plants is also | | | | Carbon emissions from these sources are significantly |
| hazardous. A Coal mine fire detected in Jharia of | | | | low compared to Coal based thermal power stations. |
| Jharkhand state for which illegal coal mining has been | | | | To satisfy the humongous power demands of the |
| blamed, has now risked life of more than 80,000 | | | | nation and hence for the economic development of |
| people and the govt is looking for evacuation and | | | | India, Going Green seems to be the only way to go. |