KARACHI: Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) is the only notified legal and authorised body to exercise all powers for deciding matters pertaining to mining and power generation from Thar coal.

This was clarified by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah while presiding over a high level meeting in connection with Thar coal at the Chief Minister’s House on Friday. He said that the TCEB is the legal body which is authorised to discuss and process all Thar coal related matters, schemes and projects. Participants of the meeting were informed that the TCEB has full support of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and it will deliver good results under the terms of its objectives.

Referring to the Gorakh Hill Station that is being developed as a tourist resort, Shah said it will soon be opened for tourists upon completion and added that the work on the Keenjhar tourist spot will also be finalised soon. The CM pointed out that work on the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriage road will start soon.

Earlier, in a briefing, it was stated that the proposal for Thar Coal Mining Company was floated in October 2006 by placing it in CDWP but the Government of Sindh raised an objection through the then Mines and Mineral Development Minister. Previously, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman had made a presentation to the president and prime minister on ‘Energy Security Action Plan/ on February 15, 2005, wherein the recommendations for the establishment of the National Integrated Coal Mining and Power Generation Authority were approved. It was proposed that the Pakistan Coal Development Company, with an investment of Rs 2 billion from the Government of Pakistan, would be formed to establish the initial framework to attract foreign investment for coal, which was an attempt to take over the coal resources of Sindh. The establishment of the Thar Coal Mining Company was approved by the CDWP on October 19, 2006. The members of the meeting were further informed that the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources, in its letter dated June 10, 2007, launched the establishment of the Thar Coal Mining Company with 80 percent share holding of the Federal Government and only a 20 percent share of the Sindh Government.

It was further revealed that under the letter from Mines and Mineral Development Department, the federal government, vide its notification dated July 8, 2008, constituted the Thar Coal Authority and abolished the Thar Coal Mining Company. Later, another notification was issued on October 11, 2008 withdrawing Thar Coal Authority after the constitution of TCEB. It was pointed out that CDWP approved two similar schemes of coal gasification and revived TCMC without any consultation with the provincial government. However, the Sindh Government raised an objection, vide letter dated May 8, 2009, and conveyed serious objections and reservations to the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman. The Sindh CM, who is also the TCEB chairman, spoke with the prime minister regarding the situation.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Minister for Irrigation and Power Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Revenue Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Sindh Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) Nazar Hussain Mahar, Secretary Finance Fazalullah Pechuho, Secretary Mines and Minerals Aijaz Ahmed and others. app