THIS is apropos Engr Moin Uddin Ali Khan’s letter ‘PQA coal project’ ( Dec 19), showing concerns over coal handling at Port Qasim and its transportation to the upcountry.

The coal stockyard at Port Qasim is being developed for maximum storage of 200,000 tons.

This would be transition storage, with water sprinkling system designed on international standards with fire-fighting arrangements.

Besides, mitigation measures have been incorporated in the Environment Monitoring and Management Plan according to the best industry practice.

The coal handling would be mechanised on the commissioning of the coal terminal to handle four million tons of coal a year at Port Qasim. Coal, clinker and cement terminal by Pakistan International Berth Terminal (PIBT), with a handling capacity of eight million tons, which include four million tons of imported coal, is under construction .

The terminal is expected to start working shortly. The PQA has eight such state-of-art terminals in operation through private-sector participation. These terminals follow international and local health and safety standards.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Railways (PR) is efficiently handling its cargo operation, including coal operation from the Karachi Port Trust, as well as from Port Qasim. Moreover, the PR has raised its capacity of handling coal operation by improving its existing track infrastructure.

There will be no shortage of coal wagons. There is already an agreement for inland coal transportation from the port to the plant site according to the requirement of the power project company.

Thus, any apprehension of short supply of wagons is ill-founded.

Neither there is any complaint about pollution on account of coal dust during transportation nor there is any trace of coal dust observed in the right-of-way of the railway.

Khalil Chandio
Public Relations Officer
Port Qasim Authorirty,
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2016