MULTAN: A technical team by the government has selected mauza Luthar near Qadirpuran for the installation of a 100-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant, Dawn has learnt.

A team of the district government and the district environment protection department helped the technical team select the site.

The residents of Muzaffargarh are already expressing their concerns regarding the installation of two coal-fired power plant in the district. The installation of another coal-fired power plant in the neighbourung district has worried the residents and environmentalists.

“Coal-fired power plants are the major cause of global warming because of their emission of carbon dioxide that can cause acid rains and smog,” said Amar Guriro, an environment journalist. He said that a 500MW coal power plant generates and emit over 3 million tons of carbon dioxide annually while the coal burning also emits more than 60 harmful air pollutants, including acid gases, sulfur, carbon monoxide, lead, arsenic, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons and particulate matter.

He said nitrogen oxide could cause diseases like asthma and lung damage while carbon monoxide could cause headaches and heart diseases among those coming into the immediate contact of the gases. He said there would be piles of uncovered burned coal in and around the plant causing asthma and lung diseases among the area residents while its dust would pollute the nearby villages. During rains, the pollutants would contaminate land and water of the surrounding areas.

He said many studies had proved that medical treatment cost of the people suffering from the diseases caused by the pollution of coal-fired power plants was more from the savings estimated to be earned from such projects.

“The government is playing havoc with the lives of the people by installing such plants even though the developed countries are replacing their coal-fired plants with those running on renewable energy sources,” he added. A renewable energy expert said it was not a true impression that coal, nuclear and gas power plants helped generate cheap electricity.

“The renewable power plants are not only environmental friendly but are the cheapest form to generate electricity as the sun and wind are free,” he said, adding the world was turning to renewable energy sources and Pakistan also had enough potential to generate solar and wind energy.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2015