Local people, often children skim through the fly ash laden water to collect cenosphere a lightweight by-product of coal. This pond in the outskirts of Vilhale Village, India, is not a designated ash dumping site of the state owned Bhusawal thermal power station (1420 MW). Yet ash from the nearby ash pond contaminates this water source which is used by the villagers for domestic purposes. On contract with private companies that deal in these ceramic particles, the villagers work long hours to collect sacks full of cenosphere. More than 80,000 MW (2) of power plants are proposed in the state of Maharashtra, most of them in interior districts placing a huge demand for water from the rivers and reservoirs in these districts.
© Zishaan Latif / Greenpeace