KARACHI, Nov 30: The chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission said on Tuesday that a plan for establishing another nuclear power plant in Karachi would soon be placed before the government.

Talking to media men after attending the 13th convocation at the NED University of Engineering and Technology, the PAEC chairman, Pervez Butt, said that in view of the power needs of Karachi, the commission had decided to set up its fourth power plant at Karachi, named as K-2, adding that initial surveys and documentation had been finalized in that regard.

He informed that a PC-1 for the plant with a capacity of generating 600 megawatts of electricity would be forwarded shortly for the government's approval. "The Planning Commission of Pakistan is working these days to find ways and means for generating more electricity in the country, and PAEC was endeavouring for incorporating nuclear plants in the related policy documents as viable energy sources," he informed.

Informing that the PAEC planned to build more nuclear plants, Mr Butt said that these were safer modes of energy generation, with the inherited advantages of being environmental friendly and cost-effective. Referring to other safe and economic sources of energy, he mentioned solar and wind.

Earlier, in his convocation address too, the PAEC chairman mentioned that the PAEC was generating electricity, which was not only clean, but safe as well. He added that there would be local input in the development of the new power plant.

Replying to journalists, the PAEC chairman said the impression that nuclear plants in the country were not subject to requirements of the national environmental body or environment and pollution-related rules, he said that environmental impact assessment exercises were carried out in the case of KANUPP, Chasma-1 and Chasma-2 plants, and the same would be observed in the case of other nuclear power projects also.

Referring to the fog phenomena in the Lahore and Delhi region, he said that some scientists were of the view that it was probably the result of the coal burnt in many parts of India.

To another question, he said that the recent meeting of the IAEA in Vienna had no adverse sentiments about Pakistan. "There was no pressure on Pakistan and the body has appreciated the position of Pakistan and action taken by it with regard to non-proliferation.