MULTAN: The Thal Bachao Committee (TBC) will file a public interest litigation petition with the Lahore High Court against the establishment of a solar plant over 650 acre reserved for the forests plantation at Rakh Chaubara in Layyah’s Chaubara tehsil.

TBC chairman Fazal-e-Rub Lund said the plant was being established in violation of the state laws as the Rakhook land (common grazing land) could not be allotted or leased out to anyone.

“The solar plant project is in fact a conspiracy to grab the Rakhook land. By leasing this land out is an act to ruin the economic condition of the locals who are using the land as grazeland for centuries,” he said told Dawn over phone. He said the committee had decided to file a petition to protect the rights of the people of the area.

He said not only locals were protesting against the unjust and unlawful decision but the provincial forest department had also opposed the move while stating that it was going to start planting on the land.

In September last, the Punjab Power Development Board of Energy Department, the Alternate Energy Development Board and Zhenfa Pakistan New Energy Company signed an agreement for setting up the 100-megawatt solar project with an investment of Rs10 billion. On Jan 5 the lease agreement of the land was signed by the provincial minister for energy.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2021