A thick dark haze fills the sky above Singrauli, northeast India. Known as the country's coal capital, the district is home to eight coal-fired power plants, producing enough electricity daily to power 16 million homes. In India, around 75% of electricity comes from coal — meaning Singrauli is crucial to the government's plans of providing power to all.
However, coal production is contributing heavily to air pollution. India is home to seven of the world's 10 worst cities for air pollution, according to the 2018 AirVisual report. Singrauli is ranked 22. Diesel exhaust fumes, construction dust, crop burning and even the Diwali festival of lights are also fueling the problem. According to the Health Effects Institute, 1.2 million deaths were caused in India in 2017 due to air pollution.
