Thar coal project: SCA replaces its lawyer

HYDERABAD: The lawyer, who created the controversy that Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) is building a reservoir for its $2-billion coal-mining and power generation project in Tharparkar without official approval, has been removed.

The disclosure prompted the SECMC’s chief, Shamsuddin Shaikh, to express his fear that the mining part of the project, that is scheduled to begin from December, 2016, or early 2017, might be delayed.

Advocate Sher Ali Rizvi, who, representing the Sindh Coal Authority (SCA), submitted a reply to the Sindh High Court on August 20 this year, revealing that the unapproved project has been replaced by advocate Saman Riffat.

The SCA director-general, Danish Saeed, pleaded before Hyderabad Circuit Bench on Thursday that a new reply submitted through advocate Riffat should be accepted as the SCA’s version. The SHC will resume hearing of the case on October 13.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2016.