Social and Environmental Issues of Public and Private Power Plants in West Bengal : An Empirical Study

Thermal electricity is the major sources of energy having more than 58% contribution to total energy production in India and this also has highest potentiality of pollution. Now that per capita consumption demand for electricity has been increasing substantially, in order to match demand and supply, private players have entered into this segment along with public sector companies. This paper attempts to study some of the socio-economic and environmental issues of two thermal power plants one each from the public and private in West Bengal viz. Bandel Thermal Power Station run by the government of West Bengal under WBPDCL and Budge Budge Generating Station is in the private sector under CESC. Data have been collected through personal interviews by using stratified random sampling technique used on three types of respondents. This study highlights some social and environmental consequences created by the power plants. It also exposes the impairments caused to the society and environment viz. air, water, noise pollution, etc. The paper discusses different remedial activities undertaken by the projects managers as the responsible corporate citizen.