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Sindh govt seeks federal funding for 143km rail track at Thar coal site
MITHI: Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Power Shahzad Qasim on Thursday visited Thar coal power project’s block-II and received a briefing on the laying of a 143km-long railway track from the site to the nearest main railway line.
The aim of laying the new track is to facilitate transportation of coal to the lignite-fired power plants in Jamshoro and certain other areas.
The briefing was arranged by the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) at the block-II site and attended by Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, the firm’s CEO Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi and chairman of Engro Energy Limited Ahsan Zafar Syed.
PM’s aide Shahzad Qasim pledges to help get necessary approvals
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reportedly provided his special aircraft to the PM’s aide, who took an aerial view of the project site and coal fields and Thar Foundation projects along with the energy minister.
Imtiaz Shaikh said that the Sindh government always remained willing to work with the federal government on any energy project.
This [collaboration] would not only help further harness indigenous energy resources but would also contribute to the efforts towards making Thar the “energy capital of Pakistan”.
Speaking at the briefing, Shahzad Qasim said that the federal government was committed to support the Thar coal project in every possible manner.
Endorsing SECMC’s proposal on the rail track, he advised the mining firm to formally submit it with the relevant federal authorities and held out the assurance that he would help initiate the process for its approval from the federal and Chinese stakeholders including the Pakistan Railways.
“I will take up the proposal [of the rail track] at federal government’s forums to get desired funding and the necessary approvals,” said Mr Qasim.
Giving his personal view, he described the proposal as “very much practicable” and said it could be executed within a short span of time.
Mr Qasim appeared impressed by the achievements of the public-private partnership between the Sindh government and SECMC and remarked that it was going to make Tharis’ dreams into a reality.
SECMC chief Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi said at the briefing that the firm was very close to producing electron from the 660MW twin power plant.
He also highlighted the vitality of the proposed rail track between the coal source and national electricity network.
Mr Qasim, along with Mr Shaikh and SECMC executives visited the mining sites, power plants and social welfare projects.
They also travelled in women-driven dumpers and visited the New Senhri Dars village, where a number of displaced Thari families are being resettled.
Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2019
Comments (8) Closed
It is urgently required to connect the railways with the all natural resources spots from where a good number of minerals are extracted. Review the capacity of the production getting out of the field and check the possibility if this can be transported to the remote areas and if the coal can be used for other purpose as well. Further, a 6 coach passenger train can also be started to facilitate the local people and save their expenses on traveling and giving them a facility to up and down for the job purpose from the nearby commercial town or to Karachi. Also involve the coal companies to take their share in the tracks building. Check if in near future this can be exported and get the track to the port as well. Contact the countries that need coals.
Aftet the 18th Amendment, Sindh should not be asking for Federal funds for a project like this.
@Jamal, I liked your comment my dear reader but there is a catch Sindh will not ask to the federal government then give Sindh right to sell the electricity and the gas to any country it wants. If it is the federal government who is going to buy the product which is electricity and fix its price then Sindh has all the rights to ask the federal government for help needed.
@Jamal, Let Sindh make her own private railways and let Sindh sale his gas and oil .!
Why not go for modern technology and use Coal-water slurry as fuel for power generation. It is a highly cost-efficient alternative to oil and natural gas. It can also be transported through pipelines from the coal mine slurry plants. Impurities in coal can be removed at the slurry plant and can be used to produce score of added by-
@Jamal,
Mr. Jamal,
Corrupt government of Sindh asks the funds for the Zardaris, Bhuttos and Talpurs.
Don't you know this?
Better to burn the money than to give it to Sindh gov. They cant give basic utilities and talk about massive projects...all to make some cash.
@Nomi Goraya , you know Punjab will be their no.1 client when that happens.