Govt Urged To Promote Local Coal Mining To Save Valuable Foreign Exchange

The Chairman Lakhra Coal Management Sindh Abdul Samad Raisani has called upon the government to promote the local mining by discouraging coal export abroad in order to save valuable foreign exchange of six million US dollar daily.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2018 ) :The Chairman Lakhra Coal Management Sindh Abdul Samad Raisani has called upon the government to promote the local mining by discouraging coal export abroad in order to save valuable foreign exchange of six million US Dollar daily.

Addressing a news conference here at a local hotel on Tuesday, Abdul Samad Achakzai along with representatives of all stakeholders said the Pakistan possessed rich mineral resources particularly coal and there is the need to utilize the huge quantity of country's coal instead to import of the same from foreign countries including South Africa and Indonesia.

At present, he said that utilization of local excavated coal in power sector and other industries of the country was recorded very poor because of discouragement with claim that it was substandard following high quantity of sulfur and water.

The installation of coal washing plants in the coalmine fields can provide the same quality of coal as being imported from other countries, he said and informed that around 13 million tons of coal worth 1.4 billion US Dollars was imported in the year 2017 and during the current year, the import of foreign coal is around 14 million tons worth 1.5 billion US dollars.

If the government utilized only fifty percent of the local coal reserves, it can save one billion US dollars every year, he said and expressed deep concern over the plan of importing coal of 50 million US dollars daily for the next five years.

He appealed to the Prime Minister Imran Khan, Federal Finance Minister and other high ups of the federal and provincial governments to encourage the utilization of local coal in power projects and other industries which would not only help in saving billions of dollars but also open another vista of employment of around ten million people.

Abdul Samad Raisani informed that the mine owners of Sindh and Balochistan had attended a high level meeting under the chair of the Chairman Senate Mir Sadiq Sanjrani besides the representatives of concerned departments and FBR, leader of the house in Senate Senator Shibli Faraz and Senator Moula Bux Chandio were also present in the meeting which decided to convene a special meeting for ensuring the utilization of locally excavated coal, he said and hoped that the Chairman Senate would take personal interest into the matter and resolve this important issue.

He said that banning on coal based bricks kiln units in Punjab from October 14, 2018 for a period of two months which imposed by the provincial government would not only bring financial crisis to bricks kiln owners and workers, but it would also affect badly to coalmine owners.

He demanded of the Punjab Govt to withdraw directives for banning of coal based bricks kiln units.

If the provincial government avoided reconsidering its decision, the coalmine owners would approach to the Supreme Court to get justice, he maintained.

Talking about the issues of Lakhra Coalmines, Abdul Samad Raisani informed that besides 25 to 30 thousand workers of KPK who directly associated with coal excavation, around 15 to 20 thousand residents of the area are also attached with the coalmine industry of the field, but regretfully stated that they have no facility of communication, health, education and safe drinking water.

He informed that the residents of the area have no other option except to take raw water of the river for daily usage including drinking purpose despite the fact that mine owners are contributing Rs. 120 million every year in medical and workers welfare fund.

He said that the mine owners have decided to approach high ups of Sindh government to get details of the expenses of their contribution and if the departments concerned failed to provide details, than the owners would have no choice except to knock the doors of NAB, FIA and the courts of law. The mine owners have also decided to establish their own welfare fund and to spend the contribution for the welfare of workers and local residents of the area, he said and added that provision of health, education and drinking water facilities would be on priority.

Abdul Samad Raisani also expressed grave concern over the decision of the formation of Sindh Coal Authority with utilization of powers of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC). The PMDC which formed in 1982 had played key role in providing training to local people through foreign experts and also finding coal in all the provinces of the country, he said and added that such decision would badly affect the investment of millions of rupees from PMDC contractors in Lakhra coal reserves. The Sindh Government should take the PMDC contractors into confidence before taking such decision, he added.

He also expressed his grave concern over the law and order situation in Lakhra coal field and demanded the high ups of Sindh Police to ensure the rule of law by taking stern action against those who involved in criminal activities in the area.

The Chairman Lakhra Coal Management Sindh has informed that next meeting of the mine owners of Sindh and Balochistan would be held in Karachi in the first week of October which will decide further line of action if the government failed to address their issues.

Haji Shakeel Ahmed Khan and former Sindh Assembly Member Fakir Dad Khoso and others were also present during press conference.