KARACHI: Communities affected by coal mining and power generation projects in Thar have called for affordable and uninterrupted electricity, safe drinking water, employment opportunities, fair compensation and a transparent resettlement policy, highlighting concerns over the distribution of benefits from large-scale energy investments.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The demands were raised during the opening day of the two-day Sindh Energy and Climate Conference, held at a local hotel on Tuesday. The event brought together policymakers, government officials, energy experts, climate activists, civil society organisations, political representatives and members of affected communities to discuss energy development, climate challenges and social justice.
Participants emphasised that access to affordable and uninterrupted electricity should be recognised as a fundamental right, particularly for communities living in areas hosting major energy projects. They argued that local populations should also benefit from the resources extracted and energy generated in their regions.
The conference was jointly organised by Sath, The Knowledge Forum, the Climate Action Centre, the Civil Society Support Programme, Partners in Development Consultancy, Indus Consortium and the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED).
Addressing the gathering, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Town Planning Qasim Siraj Soomro said the Sindh government was actively pursuing energy development projects across the province.
He said the chief minister had directed that royalties generated through Thar coal projects should be utilised, particularly for the development of local areas in Thar.
Acknowledging the challenges faced by residents, Soomro admitted that access to safe drinking water remained a serious concern and that most reverse osmosis (RO) plants installed in the region were not functioning properly.
However, community representatives questioned whether government commitments were translating into tangible improvements in their lives.
Abdul Aziz Qadri, a representative of Thario Halepoto village, said the settlement, comprising approximately 160 residents, had not received employment opportunities despite being located near major energy projects. He questioned the utilisation of royalty payments and said no clear resettlement plan had been communicated to the affected population.
He also raised concerns over open waste dumping, alleging that it was exposing residents to various diseases, including tuberculosis. He criticised the practice of inviting community representatives to official events for photographs without addressing their longstanding grievances.
Another community representative highlighted employment-related concerns in Block II, particularly during Phase III of development, claiming that even residents of the concerned union council had been unable to secure meetings with the relevant authorities.
Deedar Bheel drew attention to wastewater disposal issues near villages, particularly Dhukarcho. He alleged that residents had not been consulted despite the problem continuing since 2018. He further claimed that a wastewater pipeline had been constructed through a local graveyard and that villagers who protested against the project faced the registration of a first information report (FIR) rather than receiving a resolution to their concerns.
Social activist Housh Mohammad Mango from Sanghar highlighted the environmental consequences of oil and gas exploration, alleging that these activities had polluted drinking water sources and damaged traditional water resources. He also referred to reports of cancer and skin diseases among residents.
Senior journalist Sohail Sangi observed that the benefits of energy development appeared to remain concentrated around coal mining areas rather than reaching the wider population. He said development should be measured by improvements in the living conditions of ordinary people rather than investment figures and infrastructure alone.
Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam Professor Dr Ismail Kumbhar called for stronger protection of the environmental, social, economic and cultural rights of communities affected by energy projects.
He stressed the need for fair compensation, livelihood restoration, meaningful community participation in decision-making and transparent utilisation of energy revenues and community development funds. He also emphasised that Pakistan’s transition towards cleaner energy must ensure social justice and protect the interests of vulnerable populations.
In his welcome remarks, Mustafa Talpur of Partners in Development Consultancy (PIDC) said many rural communities across Sindh continued to face electricity shortages despite living close to major energy projects.
He also pointed out that land acquired for development projects was often taken without adequate compensation for affected families.
Participants called for greater transparency, institutional accountability and meaningful public participation in energy planning, stressing that local communities must be included in decisions concerning projects that directly affect their land, livelihoods, environment and access to essential services.
