--- CJP

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Dec, 2018 ) :Later, the chief justice visited different wards of the Mithi Civil Hospital including the nursery, medicine store and operation theater.

He met with the attendants of the patients and asked them about the health services.

He visited NICVD block constructed in the Mithi hospital.

Then, the chief minister took the chief justice to Diplo. On the way, he visited a school village where he checked the muster-roll and attendance register of students.

It was off time, however a teacher was present there. The chief justice also visited washrooms constructed in the school.

The chief justice also visited Mithi Taluka Hospital where he went into X-ray room and saw a machine with small capacity was functioning.

From Diplo to Islamkot Coal Field, the chief Justice along with the Chief Minister flew in helicopters where he was given a detailed presentation on coal-fired power projects.

The chief justice showed his interest in Thar Foundation established by Sindh government in PPP mode.

The main function of the Thar foundation is social development such as health, education, employment, rehabilitation of displaced people of Thar Coalfield Block-II.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah told the chief justice that Thar Foundation would work to make Islamkot Taluka in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) by 2024, six years ahead of global timelines.

The chief justice was told Thar Foundation had enrolled 400 children in its two schools which have the capacity of 1000 children.

He was told that the Thar Foundation was sponsoring the adoptation of TCF school curriculum from rural Sindh with at cost Rs 50 million.

Three years cycle was being developed on a language formula based on global practice of teaching in three languages, Sindhi- the mother tongue, Urdu- the national language and English.

This curriculum can be adopted by schools across the province of Sindh, the chief minister disclosed.

The chief justice was also told that a 120-bedded state of the art hospital was under constructed for Rs 2 billion at Islamkot.

It would start OPD service in 2019. The Sindh government has released a Rs 500 million grant while Shahid Afridi Foundation has given Rs 200 million and the remaining amount is being generated from donors.

The hospital would be expanded to 250 beds with a dedicated cardiology wing in collaboration with NICVD and Indus Hospitals in 2024.

The chief justice was given a presentation on more than 71 percent overall employment of Tharis in the project, Thari engineer is programme under which 73 engineers have completed their training from China, Thar Information Technology, Khushal Thar Driving Schools which has imparted training to 100 dumper drivers, including 15 women.

The chief Justice was told that six RO plants have been installed which were supplying water to six diferent villages of Islamkot.

The Sindh government has handed over them eight RO plants which would be made functional in the first quarter of 2019.

He was also told that through bio-saline experiments in Thar under which Bajra, Jantra and many other cash crops and vegetables have been cultivated.

At this the chief justice directed the Thar Foundation to expand the bio-saline agriculture on large scale.

The chief Justice was told that a Panicum Turgidum Fodder pilot project has been started in 2017. The project is aimed at providing entire year fodder and supply to Block-II.

To a question the chief justice was told that since 2017 five harvests have taken place and 400 kg per acre yield has been obtained in three months. Another pilot project in collaboration with Xinjiang Project of China University has been started in October 2017 where plantation of cash crops, medical plants and fruits are being tested.

Trial shall continue to identify the most suitable species in each category for further expansion.

Bio-saline fish farm project launched in Gorano dam was shown to the chief justice of Pakistan on the screen.

He was also briefed about the other projects like Kargah under which a direct link was being established between the buyer and local women/artisan just to ensure that they were being compensated fairly for their art and efforts.

Later, the chief Justice visited a village of 60 houses where a fisrt group of displaced families would be resettled.

The chief justice showed his pleasure to see a house of 1100 sqaure meters with all the facilities and he also planted a tree over there.

These houses would be handed over to the affected families ofThar Block-II mining in December 2018.