Karachi, December 06, 2018 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Thar Coal Mine and coal-fired power plants were being completed four months ahead of their schedule. “This is the success story of the project in which people were reluctant to believe in and now we are going to inject first electron in the national grid in February.”
This hew said on Thursday while reviewing the progress of Thar coal mining and power plant projects at Islamkot. The meeting was attended by Provincial Energy minister Imtiaz Shaikh, CM Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Chairman P and D Mohammad Waseem, SECMC Board Chairman Khursheed Jamali, CEO Thar Foundation Abul Fazal Rizvi, all the elected representatives from Thar and senior officers of SECMC.
Mr Shah said that the royalty of Thar Coal and power project would be around Rs1.8 billion which would be spent on the development of Thar and its people.
Coal Mining: The chief minister was told that there were over all 94 percent over all progress of mining work as against 88 percent planned till the first week of December 2018. Out of 112 billion Cubec Meters 106 MnBCDm over burden has been removed and the current depth of the mines was 154 meters which the chief minister personally visited and examined the coal excavated from the mine. He took up a piece of coal in his hands proudly said that this was black gold for which “our Shaheed Rani [Benazir Bhutto] had started the project but that project could not see the light of the day and now we have completed her mission,” he said.
To a question the chief minister was told that 44 M m3 ground water has been discharged into the Gorano pond and more than 23 million safe man-hours have been completed without lost workday injury (LWI).
It was pointed out that total 3584 manpower was working on the mine, of them 3329 were Pakistanis, including 2364 Tharis. The project is fours months ahead of its schedule and the cost of the project is $845mn against which a saving of $175 million have been made, therefore total cost comes to $670m, this shows 21 percent saving.
Power Plant: The chief minister was told that the project of 660 MW coal energy has achieved 96 percent progress and was ahead of four months of its schedule. The number of manpower engaged at the power project is 3286 with 1070 Tharis, 1479 Chinese and 744 other Pakistanis. The chief minister was told that engineering reviews and quality inspections of the project have been completed by globally renowned experts.
Transition from construction to commissioning phase has successfully been made. To a question, the chief minister was told that commissioning and operation and maintenance (O and M) contractors have been mobilized to the site and were participating in commissioning activities. The experienced Chinese manpower has been shortlisted from the similar power plants in china so that the project could be made functional. The chief minister was told that 70 Pakistanis have received O and M training in China and have returned to take part in commissioning of the complex. The project would produce first electron in the second week of February 2019.
The relay room and transmission line, evaporation ponds, boiler and 180 meters tall Chimney have been constructed and are ready for testing. Social Service: The chief minister just after briefing of the coal and power projects handed over a cheque of Rs50 million to CEO Thar Foundation to provide fodder to 20,000 families of Islamkot taluka for their cattle. “We are committed with the people of Thar and we will not only fulfil the commitments we have made so far with the people of Thar but much more than the commitments would given to the people of Thar,” he said and added that he was working out a plan to spend major portion of royalty of coal and power projects on development of Thar and social uplift of its people.
Addressing the people of Thar and their elected representatives, the chief minister said that the PPP government in Sindh has spent Rs70 billion on the development infrastructure, airport and other projects started in Thar.
The chief minister visited a kitchen garden pilot project at Tharerio Halepoto village. In the garden a small fish pond and vegetables were being grown to meet the need of two to three families. The chief minister said that such projects should be encouraged so that people of Thar could enjoy health vegetables and fish.
Hospital: The chief minister said that the Thar Foundation, an organization of the Sindh government and Engro, was constructing a hospital of 250 beds at a cost of Rs2 billion against which Sindh government has already released Rs50 million. He added that the first block of 82 beds would be made functional in February 2019.
New Village: Mr Shah said that a new village, New Senhri Goth for the displaced people of Thar Block-II have been established where 172 families would be shifted by December 20. “We have not only provided them [displaced people] well designed 1100-sqaure meter houses with all facilities such as kitchen, toilet and corridor but have given them jobs, compensation of their houses [turned into mine], education and health facilities at their new village.
Education: The chief minister also told the people present in the briefing that Thar Foundation was establishing 25 schools on which work was going-on on fast track. He also said that the foundation has sent a batch of 90 children to do a three-year Diploma of Associate Engineering and over all 500 youth would be imparted such a skilled education. The chief minister during his visit to Thar visited PPHI hospital and DHQ hospital Mithi. He visited each and every ward, including nursery and inquired about the health of the admitted patients.
Media Talk: Talking to media, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the death of infants was social issue. “Most of the dying infants were delivered at home and their parents bring to hospital when their condition worsens,” he said and added otherwise the children delivered at hospital have nominal death ratio.
To a question, he said that his government was going to launch a Health Information System (HIS) under which all the pregnant women would be registered. A detailed record right from conceiving a child to delivery would be kept so that mothers could be provided proper guidance and support.
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