SUKKUR, Jan 15: Sindh environment secretary Shujat Ali Karni has advised the management of Sawan gas plant to take appropriate measures regarding conservation of wildlife and protection of environment in the gas field area.

Speaking at a public hearing in respect of the Sawan gas field at the Taluka council Nara, he emphasized upon the management of OMV to ensure involvement of local community in their environmental protection and community development projects.

People of the area floated their problems against the management which included land acquisition compensation, provision of job opportunities to locals, conduct of training programme to locals for skilled labour, construction and repair of roads, provision of community development projects in health and education sectors, provision of drinking water, transport facility for local employees from Sawan and Qadan Wari gas fields and other related problems.

Shazia Abbasi of the OMV said the matter of land acquisition and compensation had been communicated to the higher authorities, which would be resolved shortly.

She said the OMV had applied to the irrigation authorities for the NOC, adding that a coaster service had been started for the Qadan Wari plant to facilitate the local employees. The OMV discovered gas at Sawan the desert area in 1998. It comprised seven wells and the gas had been delivered to the customers in 2003.