The federal government is all set to start the construction of a 105-kilometer railway track from Thar to Port Qasim for transporting coal from local fields to power plants across Pakistan.
Funded jointly by the federal and Sindh governments, the project will be overseen by federal authorities, reported a national daily.
The railway track will facilitate the transportation of coal from Thar coalfields to power projects nationwide to increase the contribution of cost-effective coal-based energy in Pakistan’s energy mix.
However, an expert in the field raised environmental and social concerns regarding the Thar coal projects. She highlighted the adverse effects on the local community, including depleted water and air quality, loss of livelihoods, migration, and poor development opportunities.
She expressed concerns about its route passing through agricultural land, reserved forests, and human settlements, potentially leading to disturbances to ecosystems and agriculture production along the transportation route.
She also criticized the narrative which claimed that Thar coal may help lower electricity prices.\
The expert pointed out previous environmental concerns at Port Qasim Authority related to coal handling operations. She warned of the potential impact on the local community and industrial units if local coal transportation operations don’t account for environmental impacts.
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