Coal imported for power plants, including a 1,320 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Sahiwal, is dumped near the residential areas in Karachi, creating health and safety hazards.
According to reports, shipments of coal unloaded at Karachi Port Trust (KPT) are dumped at various stations inside KPT and on a track of railway land along the main Mauripur Road. From here, it is loaded onto trains and transported to other cities.
People living near Mauripur Road and the residents of Shireen Jinnah Colony in Clifton’s Block 1 complain that the continued dumping of thousands of tonnes of coal is causing various health and environmental problems.
Residents of the area, especially children, are suffering from breathing problems and chest infections due to the coal dust entering their lungs via air.
The labourers working at the dumping stations, too, are not following recommended safety guidelines, such as wearing safety masks and gloves while they handle the material.
