Column | Hamid Mir
This column was published in Daily Jang dated March 02, 2009.
THAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former
president Asif Ali Zardari Friday jointly performed ground-breaking of
the US 1.6 billion dollar Thar coal power project to help the country
meet its energy needs.
The project, scheduled to complete in 2017, will initially provide
660 MW of power for Pakistan's energy starved industrial units.
The project will be carried out by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company
(SECMC) — a joint venture between Engro Powergen and Government of
Sindh.
Prime Minister Sharif, in his address, said the launch of the project
along with Zardari, had sent a message across that the political
leadership should be united when it comes to the development of the
country.
He said this political trend must be set in Pakistan now and the
leaders need to think about the country first regardless of their
differences.
He thanked Zardari for inviting him to the ground-breaking of the
project and said it was a matter of satisfaction that “we all are
together and have the same priorities”.
Prime Minister Sharif termed the Thar coal project a big national
development project and suggested that the coal for all projects in
Gaddani should be supplied from Thar.
He said the government was working on several power generation projects including hydel and nuclear generation.
The prime minister also said the recently launched nuclear power
project in Karachi would generate 2200 MW, while the Dasu, Diamir and
Bunji dams on Indus River would generate 15000 MW electricity. He said
the Thar coal project would eventually produce 6600 MW of power.
The prime minister said three power projects would complete in 2017,
including the Jhimpir Wind Power project in Thatta, CASA 1000 and
Tarbela Dam upgradation.
He said efforts were afoot to import Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and
pledged that in a year and a half, the country’s gas shortage problem
would be addressed.
Prime Minister Sharif said the project will usher in an era of prosperity and development for the people of Tharparkar.
He also seconded former president Zardari’s suggestion for setting up
an industrial park in Thar that would generate employment for the
people. He said the federal government would contribute in its
development.
Zardari said the day's event would convey a message to the next
generations of the country that the politicians need to sit together to
work for the development of the country.
He said the project, initiated by Benazir Bhutto and later pursued during his government, had finally seen the light of day.
Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said the project would bring about
a big change in the lives of the people of Tharparkar, Sindh and the
entire country.
He termed the coal as gold for Pakistan and said the electricity
generated would be used to help run the industrial units of the country
and generate employment.
The project in Block-II of Tharparkar District is spread over an area
of 79.6 square kilometres. According to a feasibility study, the
project is commercially viable and has no significant environmental
threats and social implications.
In its first phase, the project will develop a coal mining and power
project with a capacity of 3.8 million tonnes per annum and 660 MW.
Subsequently, the mine will be expanded to a coal capacity of 6.5 million tonnes per annum to support a 1300 MW power plant.
In the second phase, it is planned to expand mining project to 13.5
million tonnes and 19.5 million tonnes, with a power generation capacity
of 2400 MW and 3600 MW.
The Thar coal field has an estimated lignite reserves of 175 billion
tonnes, equivalent to the total oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran
combined and can be used to produce 100,000 MW for 200 years, according
to the data available by SECMC.
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