SC summons report on environment impact of Thar Coal Power Project

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned a report on the environmental pollution caused by Thar coal power project.

A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar also ordered the Auditor General to conduct forensic audit of Thar Coal Gasification Project and submit report within 15 days.

Supreme Court had constituted a probe in the previous hearing of the case to look into the failure of Thar Coal Gasification Project.

Chairman Thar Coal Gasification project Dr. Samar Mubarakmand informed the bench that the project have an estimated capacity to generate 100 megawatts of electricity, with Rs. 8.8 billion estimated costs. Presently the project generating eight megawatts of the electricity.

The bench queried, why the project producing just eight megawatts of electricity despite Rs 3.4 billion spent on it.

The bench formed a committee to look into the failure of the coal gasification project with the observation that the probe body will comprise of the energy experts and scientists.

The court also named Salman Akram Raja and Shahzad Illahi to assist the court in the case.

The bench was also informed about non-payment of wages to the workers of the project.