KARACHI: The provincial government has instructed the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to develop legal and regulatory environmental standards on the pattern of international laws for large-scale coal mining operations at Thar coalfields in compliance with the World Bank’s guidelines, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources said that the provincial environmental watchdog must frame the environmental laws before development work at Thar coalfields and other coal reserves of the province starts in order to facilitate foreign investors.
“Thar has the world’s sixth largest coal reserves measuring approximately 175 billion tonnes and possesses a huge potential for power generation for decades,” the sources said, adding that other coalfields in the province are located in Lakhra, Sonda-Jherruk, Jhimpir and Badin.
At least 98 percent of coal reserves of the province are located in the Thar region and the government is striving to develop its coalfields into the most viable and cost-effective option to tackle the current energy crisis in the country.
Large-scale coal mining operations are new to the country as this sector is yet to be completely developed to meet international standards. Under the project preparation facility of the World Bank-assisted Thar Coal and Power Technical Assistance Project, the Sindh government’s Coal and Energy Development Department (CEDD) has conducted a preliminary review of the existing environmental laws, anticipated impacts and mitigation guidelines for open-cast coal mining in Thar through its environment consultant, sources said.
CEDD Secretary Ajaz Ali Khan has recently sent a letter to the environment secretary, asking SEPA to develop the legal and regulatory environmental standards. A copy of the preliminary review has also been sent to the environment department for further action.
“Environment is one of the most critical elements in dealing with the coal sector and its policies and guidelines have to be developed to meet the requirements of the international investors,” said the letter.
“Accordingly, in order to ensure that the development of Sindh coal is conducted in a manner that optimises resources and safeguards environment, it is requested that the environment department may initiate the process of developing legal and regulatory environmental standards for large-scale open-cast as well as underground coal mining operations in Sindh as per the international standards and best practices,” it further stated.
Sources said that a number of issues should closely be studied to ensure the implementation of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
The environmental issues for large-scale coal mining operations include ground removal, digging, water supply, effluent disposal, reclamation of coal mines (open pit), air pollution, mitigation of impact on flora, fauna and construction of related infrastructure such as power, roads, channels and housing etc, sources added.
