KARACHI: The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on Friday expressed its serious concern over environmental hazards being caused by the execution of the Thar coal project. It also expressed its reservations over “growing influence of banned outfits in Thar” and observed that increasing security-related activities in the desert were undermining routine life of local population.

NCHR chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan and Anis Haroon shared their views with the media about living conditions, environmental issues, basic facilities including health and education in Tharparkar as observed by its members during a recent visit to the area.

Senior architect and urban planner Arif Hasan, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) head Karamat Ali and labour leader Ghulam Fatima were also present at the press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

They called for immediate measures by both the federal and Sindh governments to prevent the situation from turning worse.

“The authorities must review the entire Thar coal project from the prism of social benefits for the community and take serious measures to protect the environment,” said Justice Chowhan.

“The locals expressed their concern over the way the project is changing the local demography fearing that the resultant social transformation may alter their peaceful environment,” he said. “The NCHR calls for concrete measures by the government to check the infrastructural and social change threatening peace and communal harmony in the region,” he said.

“An atmosphere of fear prevails there as many security check posts have been established. Local people, besides outsiders, are interrogated by security personnel; and despite all such measures, banned religious outfits were freely operating in Thar with their focus being on conversion and early marriages.”

The NCHR leaders shared some facts about an array of coal and electricity generation projects. They pointed out that 9,000 square kilometres of the around 19,000 square kilometre area of Tharparkar had been earmarked for the projects.

The NCHR members noted with concern a wide gap between claims and promises by stakeholders, primarily the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC).

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2018