Nearly 200,000 residents living in 26 Grama Niladhari divisions beyond the immediate vicinity of Norochcholai could face short-term and long-term health complications due to the continued burning of substandard coal, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said.
According to him, around 5,000 people reside within the first five-kilometre radius of Norochcholai, including Norochcholai, Paniyadiya and Narakkaliya, while approximately 10,000 people live within the second five kilometres covering Kalpitiya and Puttalam.
He emphasised that prolonged exposure to emissions from coal combustion may lead to serious public health concerns and warned that the economic losses resulting from the use of questionable coal could far exceed the visible financial impact.
Dr. Sanjeewa urged authorities to closely monitor coal quality and combustion practices to safeguard both public health and national economic interests.
