The government has planned to produce 13,000 MW electricity by utilising coal resources within next five years that will save the huge amount of foreign exchange being incurred on import of energy items. This was stated by Sindh Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanullah Marwat on occasion of certificate award ceremony of 4-Day AIDS Training Course for students organised by Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) in collaboration with Pakistan Mines Owners Association Sindh Zone on Sunday.
He said it was time to use coal mines of country as 50 percent of electricity in China and other countries is being produced by using the black diamond.
He said though Sindh has 158 billion tons of coal reserves 35 megawatts electricity was being produced by coal in Lakhra which was minimum amount of production despite having such huge coal reserves.
He said Pakistan and China have signed memorandum of understanding in this regard and in February 2005 the Chinese President would visit Pakistan to perform ground breaking ceremony of the project.
He said that unlimited opportunities were being produced in this technology as 14 foreign countries were awaiting to do investment in this sector and one Australian Mining Company was going to produce 1.5 million tons of coal, adding that 1.7 million tons coal was being imported by cement industries.
The minister said that priority will be given to local people in providing jobs in mines sector.
He said it was time to realise the imperatives of utilising coal mines as by 2007 gas and oil reserves would start to be drying up. He said new coal reserves were being explored in Badin, Tando Mohammed Khan and Tando Allahyar. He said he was committed to set up rescue stations for coal mines engineers.
Vice Chancellor Mehran university of Engineering and Technology Dr Abdul Qadeer Rajput said Thar coal filed was one of the biggest of world with 175 billion tons of ignite reserves which were sufficient to meet energy requirements of country for decades.