Mining in one of the largest coalfields of Asia, Chamalang coalfield, will start from February 8. All arrangements have been finalised in this connection. The security of the coalfield has been handed over to 750 jawans of newly raised Marri Force.
This was informed at a meeting of Chamalang Coalfield Action and Implementation Committee held here on Saturday with its chairman Brigadier Nazeer Ahmed in the chair. The sixty kilometre long and seven kilometre wide coal-field, which is situated 45 kilometre north of Kohlu in Loralai district and was discovered in 1973, would produce 6,000 tons of coal daily with an annual revenue generation of Rs 30 billion.
The meeting was further informed that Loralai-Chamalang road has been cleared of landmines and the security situation is now satisfactory. Chamalang would be linked with Kingri and Mekhtar telephone exchanges for which arrangements have been made on emergency basis. A bank will also be opened in the area.
For this purpose National Bank and Askari Bank authorities will be contacted, it added. It was also informed that the Chamalang technical committee has approved Rs 1.319 billion project under which a labour colony, a hospital and a school would be established in Chamalang.
The survey in this regard would begin on February 6 while a project officer would also be appointed to implement the project. The meeting was told that Balochistan government has also approved installation of four tube wells in the area to ensure supply of clean drinking water to the area people.
Later, talking to newsmen, Brigadier Nazeer said four committees have been formed to run the affairs of Chamalang coalfield project. These include technical, action and implementation, finance and pay and collection committees, he added. He said the government has provided uniforms to 1,200 personnel of Marri Force free of cost. The elders of Marri tribe would also be included into the force with the consent of Marri and Luni tribes who would take over administration of the force on payment of regular salaries, he added.
"Two tents have been given to every platoon of the Marri Force while the treatment facilities will initially be provided to them by Pakistan Army which will be later given by the provincial government," he said. A police or levies station would also be set up in the area to maintain peace, he said, and added 60 Marri youths would be provided technical training in EME Centre Quetta with a monthly stipend of Rs 1000.
"These youths will either be given jobs in various departments or loans to start their own business after completion of training," Brigadier Nazeer said and added that the poor youths of Luni and Nasir tribes would also be included in this training programme.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.