Sindh CM approves Rs950mn grant for affectees of Thar Coal project      

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a one-time Rs950 million grant to pay Rs10,000 stipend to each affected family of the Thar Coal Block-II.

While presiding over a high-level meeting to review water and rehabilitation schemes in Tharparkar district at his office, Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah said that at least 1200 families were displaced due to Thar Coal Block-II and added, “we have decided to financially support them (affected families) in addition to provide them well-constructed house in a township with all the basic facilities and more than two jobs to each affected family.”

According to a statement released from his office, the chief minister directed the Thar Foundation to start giving Rs10,000 monthly stipend to each affected family.

Murad Ali Shah also decided that the royalty generated from the coal projects would be spent to uplift of people Thar, reads the statement.

“Thar will turn into one of the most prosperous cities of the world,” he said and added that the social uplift scheme has been designed for the affectees of block-II

The chief minister constituted a committee under Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh to meet with sugar mill management of different districts releasing their effluent in the LBOD and direct them to release treated water.

“I want them [sugar mills] to establish their treatment plants and release treated water into the LBOD,” he said and directed the energy minister to report him within 15 days.