AT least 500 regular, contractual and daily-wage employees are working in the Lakhra coal power plant where no safety precautions have been taken.

Coal which is received from a nearby private coalmining company contains a life-threatening chemical called sulphur which causes many chronic diseases. Besides, the poisonous smoke which comes out of the coal power plant badly affects the environment.There are huge automatic soundproof machines in the power plant which, with the passage of time, have lost their efficiency and give off intolerable noise which is detrimental for the hearing capacity of people working there as well as those living nearby.

Last but not the least, hydrochloric acid, a hazardous chemical, is utilised at the power plant for the purpose of demineralization.

The demineralized water is used through boiler drums for producing superheated steam which in return generates electricity.

However, no adequate precautionary measures have been taken which is likely to play havoc with the lives of the staff at the power plant. It is earnestly requested that the ministry of Wapda concerned constitute an impartial committee of distinguished technical and ecological experts and send them to the Lakhra power plant so that they can make sure that urgent precautionary measures are taken.

ABDUL QAYOOM DAL Hyderabad