HYDERABAD: Government of Sindh on Monday announced to conduct a safety and human resource audit of the Thar Coal projects to ensure employment of the locals.

To supply coal from Thar to different parts of the country, a survey has been completed for the 105-kilometers Railway Line project from Islamkot to Chorr, said Minister for Energy Imtiaz Shaikh while visiting Thar Coal Projects.

He was accompanied by Provincial Assembly members, Qasim Siraj Soomro and Zia Lanjar, PPP District President Senator Gayanchand, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Veerji Kolhi, and Deputy Commissioner Tharparkar, Muhammad Nawaz Soho.

The delegation visited the Mining Project of Thar Coal Block II and held meetings with women dump truck drivers and local Thari engineers and visited Thar Foundation Hospital and primary schools. At Thar Coal Block II, the minister was briefed by the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC), Amir Iqbal, Thar Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Naseer Memon at Thar Coal Block II. Talking to a group of media persons after the visit, minister energy Imtiaz Shaikh said following observations received from various quarters, Energy Department has decided to carry out a detailed third-party audit of safety and local employment issues.

The minister reiterated party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh's stance to provide royalty from Thar Coal to the district of Tharparkar to uplift under development areas and its human development indicators. "Government of Sindh has not received profit and royalty from its Thar Coal projects so far and upon receiving royalty, it shall be spent through various development schemes of Thar," the minister added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021