Guwahati, Aug. 14 -- The Assam Cabinet has approved the procurement of 500 MW of electricity from the Ministry of Coal at Rs 5.79 per unit and greenlit a 1,500 MW pumped storage project in Karbi Anglong to address the growing electricity demand.

While the government sees these steps as necessary for energy security, environmentalists have raised serious concerns.

A senior environmental scientist warned that although coal-based power may address immediate energy shortages, it poses long-term ecological risks, including water pollution.

Coal combustion produces fly ash, which contains harmful metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. If improperly managed, these pollutants can contaminate rivers and groundwater, potentially harming communi...