Murad asks Thar Coal Block-I Co to settle displaced villagers
- At this the chief minister directed Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh to conduct a feasibility study where to dispose of the mine water.
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday asked the Thar Coal Block-I Power Generation Co to resettle the displaced people of Thar Coal Block-I and prefer locals in jobs.
He was talking to a delegation of Thar Coal Block-I Power Generation Co. led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Meng Donghai, comprising deputy CEOs Huang Jinting and Chaudhary Qayyum. Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh was also present in the meeting.
The chief minister noted that the project involved a 7.8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) open pit coal mine and installation of 1.3 GW ultra-super critical coal fired power plant. He would soon visit the project.
Meng Donghai while briefing the chief minister, said over 40 percent mining work had been completed, while work on the power plant was also in progress.
The mining work would be completed by the end of 2021 and the first unit of the power plant would also start working from 2022 and the entire project would be completed by 2023, he added.
The delegation requested the chief minister to resolve their water issue. They added that the water being drilled out from the mine had to be disposed of somewhere and the water required for the power plant was also needed at Block-I.
At this the chief minister directed Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh to conduct a feasibility study where to dispose of the mine water.
“As far as provision of water for power plants was concerned a separate project from Nabirsar to Vajihar and then to Block-I has been launched,” he said and added the Irrigation and Energy department would have to finalize it.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the Block-I Power Generation Co. would have to sign a water user agreement with the energy department. “We will provide water to Thar Coal Block-I,” he said.
The CEO of Thar Coal Block-I said the people of two villages had been displaced due to the development of the mine. “We are committed to re-settle them and the settlement process has already been started,” he added.
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