Question : Environment Clearances for Thermal Power Plants

(a) whether communities living within five km radius of coal mines and thermal power plants are suffering from respiratory problems, skin conditions and mental health issues and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government has decided to include effects on human health and the environment as part of mandatory clearances necessary to grant environment clearances for new thermal power plants and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Union Government has specified new conditions for a baseline health status within the study area and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether there is a need for full health impact assessment granting environmental clearances; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) In order to address health issues of the population living in the vicinity of the Thermal Power Plants and Coal Mines, the Ministry while prescribing Terms of Reference for conducting Environmental Impact Assessment studies stipulates that the occupational health and endemic diseases of environmental originbe assessed within the study area of 10 km radius.

(b) to (e)The Ministry vide Office Memorandum (OM) dated 19.11.2018 prescribed several conditions on Human Health, to be stipulated in the Environmental Clearance for Thermal Power Projects. As part of these conditions, Project Proponents are required to assess Baseline Health Status within study area and furnish the mitigations to address the endemic disease. The OM also specifies that Health Impact Assessment Study needs to be conducted to assess the impact of air pollution from Thermal Power Plants. Bi-annual health check-ups are also required to be conducted for all workers to assess the impact that chronic exposure to noise has on human health.
***