After being warned by the investors that the emergence of land grabbers in the most potential wind corridor of Gharo Keti Bandar in Thatta have jeopardise their investments, the government on Monday directed the provincial government of Sindh to take immediately stern action against the qabza mafia.
An official source informed that the matter was brought in the notice of the government at the board meeting of the Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) presided over by the Minister for Water and Power.
The meeting was informed that the qabza mafia was hindering in the implementation of the projects and was demanding extortion for vacating the land. If immediate action was not taken the government’s plan to generate 1,000 MW within a year would not be accomplished. AEDB complained that the Sindh government was delaying allotting land to the investors that was another impediment in fast tracking the investment. The board demanded that the Sindh government should be asked to fast track allotment of land allocation as they have potential investors for upto total 4000 MW in the area.
The meeting was informed that due to the tactics of land grabbers, the investors were asking AEDB to count their period for completing the project after they were handed over the land for construction. The minister said that the fast track wind power projects in Sindh would be fully facilitated for their timely completion. He said the Sindh government would be asked to facilitate the other fast track wind power projects to get the land at the earliest.
The Board approved implementation documents relating to wind power projects being established in Gharo Keti Bandar Wind Corridor, Thatta, Sindh. It also accepted a suggestion of the Punjab government to develop a national plan for inducting solar energy in the country and asked AEDB to formulate the plan and submit on the next meeting.
The minister directed AEDB to take up the resource assessment surveys in light of the Prime Minister’s recent directives, especially in the far flung areas of the country, where off-grid energy supply system could be established. This would provide immediate help meet the energy needs of the rural population while also saving expenditure incurred on transmission lines. The board approved a project for wind energy assessment in Balochistan.
The board directed AEDB to prepare plans for electrification in the off grid areas through solar and biomass and present the plans in the next meeting. The minister also directed to develop standards relating to solar and other technologies to discourage deployment of substandard equipment to be sold in the country. He directed the Ministry of Water and Power to suggest a plan of action formulated in consultation with AEDB, ENERCON and other concerned departments of the Ministry.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, CEO AEDB and representatives of the provincial governments.
