MITHI, Sept 10: Members of Tharparkar Coal Action Committee have appealed to newly-elected president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to take measures to stop federal government’s interference in Thar coal project, abolish Thar Coal Energy Board and strengthen Sindh Coal Authority to expedite work on the project.

Nandlal Malhi, convenor of the committee, Muqeem Kumbhar and others said at a news conference at the press club on Tuesday that the coal was a mineral wealth of Sindh and it was lawfully a provincial subject.

Instead of allowing Sindh government to undertake work on the coal project, some vested interests at federal level were creating obstacles to its implementation, they said.

They alleged that the lobby had got the Thar Coal and Energy Board established despite the presence of Sindh Coal Authority to gain control over coal resources.

They demanded that the government should immediately take measures to start work on the coal project, impart technical training to Thari youths to enable them to work in the project and devise comprehensive planning to minimise environmental degradation likely to be caused by coal exploration.