MITHI: Human rights activists have accused the coal mining firm as well as Sindh government of violating rights of Tharis and asked rulers to treat the desert dwellers as equal citizens of the country.

HR activists including I.A. Rehman, retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan, Anis Haroon, Nuzhat Shireen, Zulfikar Shah and others, who visited controversial wastewater reservoir at Gorano village near Islamkot town on Saturday urged the government to take people of Thar and rest of the country into confidence before carrying out work on projects which had adverse impact on locals and environment.

They met leaders of villagers affected by the reservoir project before addressing media persons at Islamkot Press Club and sought details about hazards of wastewater released into the pond from coal mines of Block 2.

Renowned HR activist I.A. Reh­man said that private firms should be leased out land only after consent of the area people. All unscrupulous elements trying to disrupt peace by creating communal disharmony be eliminated or driven away from the region, he said.

Justice Chowhan, who was also chairman of National Commission for Human Rights, said that they would take up Gorano villagers’ issues at all available forums and demanded that compensation should be given to all affectees for their losses.

Ms Anis Haroon said the mining firm must fulfill its commitments with locals and observed that it had often been witnessed that marginalised communities had to suffer more due such projects.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018