MITHI, May 13: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has expressed hope that discovery of coal deposits in Thar will usher in an era of development in the backward area.
He was speaking at a ceremony after inspecting the ongoing work in Thar coal field near Varwai village, 52km from here on Tuesday.
Mr Mahar said that the government was taking a keen interest in the exploration and exploitation of Thar coal.
Earlier, the experts of German company Rein Braun and the officers of the Sindh Coal Authority apprised the chief minister that the German company had been assigned the task of drilling 30 holes in an area of 15 kilometres in coal belt, out of which eight holes had so far been drilled.
They said that the work was expected to be completed in 18 months and a feasibility report about coal exploration would be prepared after the completion of the drilling work.
The chief minister issued directives to the relevant authorities that infrastructure facilities as water, roads, telephone etc be ensured in the coal area to enable the foreign companies to carry on their work.
Later, Mr Mahar inaugurated Thar bus terminal here.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh minister for communication and works Arbab Ghulam Raheem, MNA Ghulam Haider Samejo, MPA Abdul Razzaq Rahmoon and District Nazim Arbab Attaullah informed the chief minister about problems of Thar.
The problems included absence of a land grant policy, non- availability of potable water, inadequate supply of anti-snake vaccine and life-saving drugs to local hospitals, non- availability of women medical officers and specialists and lack of survey and town planning.
Responding to their demands, the chief minister said that relief wheat on subsidized rate was going to be supplied to Thar and Kohistan and three water tankers would be provided to Thar.
He further said that a report was going to be sought from the revenue officers on the non-compliance of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s orders for distribution of agricultural land among the tenants.
