The advertisement for 450 MW integrated coal fired power project and dispute on available quantity of coal in Thar has started a row between the Private Power Infrastructure Broad (PPIB) and Sindh Ministry of Mines and Minerals, both blaming each other for misleading of the issue, sources told Business Recorder.
The dispute has started after 14 companies have purchased pre-qualification documents from the PPIB in response to the advertisement.
"The 54th Board meeting was very noisy as the representatives of PPIB and Minister for M&M Development Irfanullah Khan Marwat held each other responsible for misguiding on the availability of coal in Thar," sources said.
Marwat said that PPIB was taking decisions without taking the provincial government into confidence, which according to him could not be appreciated. He referred to the advertisement by the Board and said that it was issued without consulting the concerned officials.
"Why has the PPIB advertised the project of 450 MW at Lakhra, when there is not sufficient quantity of coal to sustain the project of this capacity," the minister said in the meeting, according to sources.
PPIB challenged the provincial minister, saying that the issue had been taken up with the concerned officials, as the provincial government had desired to develop the project of 450 MW capacity.
The issue had also been considered in a meeting of the committee of three secretaries where the provincial government was also represented and it was decided that PPIB should advertise the project.
PPIB further said that Sindh Coal Authority (SCA) had also affirmed the capacity of 450 MW power station in Thar.
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