Coal mining in Odisha: An analysis of impacts on agricultural production and human health

Abstract

This study assesses the cost of coal mining on agriculture and human health in one of the prominent mining regions in the Indian state of Odisha. The study is based on household-level data collected from four mining (polluted) villages and two control (non-polluted) villages in the Ib Valley region of western Odisha. An “effects-on-production” approach has been used to analyze the effects of pollution on agriculture, whereas a “human-capital” approach and a probit model have been applied to derive estimates about the effects of mining on human health. The results reveal that the quantity of fertilizers used influences the average paddy yield positively, whereas the location of villages influences negatively the same yield, implying that average yield per acre in the mining villages is significantly lower than that of the control villages. Respiratory illness is the most prevalent and costly health problem among individuals residing in the area. Females are more likely to suffer from respiratory illness than males. Further, families housing greater numbers of literate persons have fewer incidence of respiratory disease. Inhabitants of the mining villages show higher exposure to respiratory diseases, than do inhabitants of the control villages.