Pakistan has opted for coal based energy in its new found love for coal, perhaps in imitation to China for coal based energy. However, the Chinese experience of too much coal based energy has not been fruitful keeping in mind its major cities being clouded with atmospheric smog, making it difficult for its citizens to breathe fresh air. The loss of precious lives in coal mine disasters reported annually in China, and lately in Turkey, where several hundred lives were lost and the trollies that transported coal were found transporting dead miners, has blown in the face of prime minister who claims it to be a natural disaster.
Moreover it does not behoove a river rich country like Pakistan to ignore water storage dams that provide energy as a cheap byproduct and go for waterless coal that is hazardous for human life. The hydel route does not strike the minds of the two brothers ruling the centre and Punjab to think in a positive way for safeguarding the public interest. Perhaps they are bound to follow the IPP and RPP line which led to the downfall of former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and former Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf who are now facing judicial accountability.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
