With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements : 1. None of them uses seawater. 2. None of them is set up in water-stressed district. 3. None of them is privately owned. How many of the above statements are correct?

States listed as major producers of thermal power include coastal states (Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu), indicating many thermal plants are located in states with a coastline.

A student can use a map to identify coastal thermal plants in these states and then check whether coastal location makes seawater cooling plausible for those plants.

Lists specific thermal power plants by name and district (e.g., Nellore), some of which are in coastal regions, providing examples of plants whose proximity to the sea could allow seawater use.

Look up the geographic location of the named plants (e.g., Nellore) on a map to see if they are coastal and thus candidates for seawater cooling/intake.

Describes the pattern that many thermal plants are sited close to coalfields (e.g., Korba, Obra), implying a distinct inland siting pattern for coal-fed plants as well.

Use this rule to contrast inland coal-based plants (less likely to use seawater) with coastal plants identified from other snippets to narrow which coal-based plants might use seawater.

Explains cooling options for power plants (discharging heated water into water bodies vs cooling towers/ponds), establishing that use of nearby water bodies is a standard cooling practice.

Combine this technical rule with geographic knowledge: if a coal plant is on the coast, the nearby water body (sea) could be used for cooling unless cooling towers are specified.

States that "heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near the coalfields," giving a general rule that thermal plants cluster close to coal deposits.

A student can take names/locations of coalfields and nearby thermal plants, then check external water-stress maps for those specific districts to test the statement.

Notes that distribution of thermal power stations is unequal and that most are located near inferior coal or lignite mining centres—reinforces location rule tied to coalfield districts.

Use the table/list of thermal stations (implied) to map plants to coal-mining districts and then compare those districts against water-stress classifications.

Gives a concrete example: industries in the Talcher coalfield are located along the Brahmani river, showing that some coal/industry areas are sited with respect to local rivers.

For a listed coalfield district (Talcher/Dhenkanal), check whether that district is water-stressed; the river-adjacency clue suggests both potential water use and local water availability patterns to investigate.

Lists specific thermal power plants associated with named coal-producing districts (e.g., Kottagudem, Nellore, Ramagundam linked to districts like Adilabad, Khammam, Nellore, Warangal).

Compile the named plants and their districts from this snippet, then cross-reference those districts with a water-stress dataset or map to judge which plants sit in water-stressed districts.

Identifies coalfields and their districts (e.g., Korba coalfield in Bilaspur; Obra plant linked to local coal), providing specific plant–district pairings to test against water-stress status.

Use these specific coalfield–district examples to look up district-level water-stress indicators externally and determine whether the named plants are in stressed districts.

States and zones are ranked by thermal power production and the distribution is linked to coal mining centres.

A student could cross-check which plants in the top-producing states (Maharashtra, UP, Gujarat, West Bengal, MP/Telangana, Tamil Nadu) are operated by private firms using a current plant/owner list.

Notes that heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near coalfields because coal is bulky.

Use a coalfield map to list nearby thermal plants, then check ownership records to identify which of those are privately owned.

Gives examples of specific coalfields (Obra, Korba) and states that their coal is used 'mainly in' nearby thermal power plants.

From the named plants (Obra, Korba) a student can look up plant operators to see if they are government-owned or private.

Describes an industrial plant (Aluminium Corporation) that 'has its own ... thermal power plant', illustrating that private industrial companies can own captive thermal plants.

Consider captive plants owned by private industries as part of the set of privately owned coal-based thermal plants and verify owners for named industrial complexes.

Gives an example of government disinvestment to a private company (Sterlite), showing that formerly public-sector-linked operations (and their power links) can become privately controlled.

Use records of disinvestment/privatization to identify thermal plants whose ownership shifted from public to private.