Summer heat scorches western Maharashtra, the once-routine act of filling household water containers has become a weekly ordeal for residents of Solapur. The city’s parched taps and anxious queues reflect a deeper crisis brewing across India’s thermal power corridor one where coal-driven industrial expansion is drying out an already water-scarce nation.
A decade ago, Solapur residents received water every alternate day. Now, following the commissioning of a 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant in 2017 by a state-run enterprise, those supplies have dwindled to once a week during peak summer. This plant, while fuelling local electricity demand and creating employment, also draws vast amounts of water from a reservoir that once served the city, underscoring the growing tension between development and resource equity.
India, home to 17% of the world’s population but with just 4% of its water reserves, is on track to invest nearly $80 billion in new coal-based power projects by 2031. Government planning documents reveal that a significant portion of these thermal projects are slated for water-stressed regions, intensifying the risk of ecological and social conflict. Of 44 planned power stations, 37 are in districts already facing either water stress or scarcity, making India’s energy roadmap increasingly unsustainable in the context of its hydrological realities.
In Maharashtra alone, the implications are playing out starkly. The NTPC-run Solapur plant is emblematic of India’s broader coal-water conundrum. Despite repeated assurances of water conservation, the facility has among the lowest water efficiency ratings in the country and sources its supply from a reservoir located 120 kilometres away—raising not only costs but also logistical and ethical concerns.Nearby in Chandrapur, another power station—one of the country’s largest—is frequently forced to shut down units due to seasonal water shortages. Yet, despite these limitations, authorities are considering expanding its capacity by another 800 MW. This proposed growth comes even as no reliable local water source has been secured, and existing ageing units—known for their water inefficiency—have not been decommissioned as originally planned.
While energy security is a national imperative, experts warn that the blind prioritisation of land acquisition for coal projects—often in areas with minimal water access—will further destabilise rural communities and erode climate resilience. Government agencies are yet to respond to mounting questions over whether such development pathways are viable or justifiable in regions like Solapur, where urban growth and agricultural productivity now battle daily for water.Local residents, particularly women, are bearing the brunt of this crisis. In Solapur’s heat-baked streets, time is now measured by water supply cycles. “On days when water comes, we do nothing else,” shared one resident, who carefully rations usage between cooking, cleaning, and bathing. Farmers, too, are hesitant to invest in irrigation systems, fearing dry borewells and falling water tables.
In 2017, protests erupted in Chandrapur when authorities were forced to divert plant water to residential areas during a drought. Yet policymakers continue to support plant expansion, hoping newer units will replace older ones. But delays in retiring outdated infrastructure raise questions about commitment to water-efficient transition.India’s post-pandemic surge in energy demand has certainly pressured policymakers to keep coal plants running longer. But the larger concern remains: Can the country afford to sacrifice water—its most vital and finite resource—for short-term energy gains?
As India navigates its twin challenges of energy growth and climate risk, the situation in Solapur and Chandrapur signals an urgent need to balance infrastructure ambitions with ecological limits. Without decisive shifts toward water-neutral and renewable solutions, the nation risks deepening the divide between its urban-industrial growth and the basic rights of its citizens.
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