Thar power plant evictees to get compensation soon, says minister

'Mining in Thar Coal Block 1 in Islamkot is at advanced stage'

KARACHI:

The families dislocated from their ancestral homes due to the construction of the 1320MW power plant in Thar Coal Block 1 will be paid their compensation amount as soon as possible enabling them to resolve their resettlement problems as soon as possible.

Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh said while presiding over a meeting with the officials of Shanghai Electric and Sino Sindh Limited held at the office of the Sindh Energy Department.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Meng, Chief Executive Officer of Shanghai Electric, and other officials of Sino Sindh Resources Ltd, while Energy Secretary Abu Bakar Madani, Deputy Commissioner Tharparkar Muhammad Nawaz Soho, Director General Sindh Coal Authority Mushtaq Soomro and other officials of Sindh Energy Department were also present.

The meeting was informed that mining in Thar Coal Block 1 in Islamkot is at an advanced stage.

Deputy Commissioner Thar Parkar presented the survey report of the families to be relocated. The energy minister asked the companies operating in Thar Coal Block 1 to pay the dues of the families as soon as possible.

Thar coal was the cheapest and most lasting solution to Pakistan's energy problems, the minister said, adding that provincial government gives top priority to taking steps for the welfare of the local population.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2022.