Putting Value to Human Health in Coal Mining Region of India

This article assesses the economic valuation of coal mining in the rural communities in the vicinity of Mahanandi Coal Field Limited (MCL), Anugul, Odisha, India in terms of losses to human health. The data have been collected from 250 households from five mining villages and 50 households from two non-mining (control) villages. The cost-of-illness (COI) approach has been used to analyze the health impact. Evidence based on review of documents and reports, interviews with coal mining officials, doctors, government department officials and field observations has pointed different types of health hazards in the mining villages in comparison to non-mining villages. Livelihoods and welfare of households can be adversely affected by this type of illness. This article focuses on the policy framework and institutional capacity of India for addressing the issue of externality. The study also examines the implementation of policy in this sector.