Pakistani villagers oppose some coal mining projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

This week, in the Tapaka ( Tharparker) district of Sindh Province, Pakistan, hundreds of villagers held a rally in Islamkot (Islamkot) to protest the Tal coal project invested by China and the China-Pakistan economy. The four ecological coal-fired power plants built under the corridor (CPEC) And asked to stop these projects.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in his recent visit to Pakistan that he would build the “ upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ”.
On Monday, residents from more than 10 villages in Block 1 and 2 of the Tal Coal Project held a rally to protest the systematic exploitation of “ by local residents by companies engaged in mining activities in the desert area of Tapaka. >.
On the previous day, hundreds of villagers met in Islamcott to express their opposition to various projects carried out locally, including the Tal coal project invested by Chinese companies, coal-fired power plants, and left-shore drainage ditches (LBOD) Dyke renovation and Gorano reservoir. Villagers shouted slogans during the march to protest what they said was the “ ruthless ” of the Pakistani government and Chinese investors, as well as the water shortage, air and water pollution caused by these mining activities, and demanded that these projects be stopped.
Tapaka, also known as Tal, is the largest district in Sindh province in southeastern Pakistan. The district has the lowest human development index in the province.
The Tal coal mine is the first open-air coal mine in Pakistan operated by Shanghai Electric Corporation, Sindengro Coal Mine (SECMC) and the Sindh Provincial Government. The power plant No. 1 in the Tal coal block is a combined power generation project for coal mines and coal power. This 1320 MW project is expected to cost about US$2.5 billion and is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Shanghai Electric owns the controlling right of the project. The civil engineering started in October 2019.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was proposed by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang during his visit to Pakistan in May 2013. Its original intention was to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of transportation, energy, and oceans between China and Pakistan to promote the common development of the two countries. The project was launched on April 20, 2015. In October of this year, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang proposed to build an upgraded version of “ ” with Pakistan to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Since 2016, residents of Tapaka, an Hindu-dominated area, have been protesting coal mining projects, coal-fired power plants, and the left-shore drainage ditch called “LBOD”( The devastating impact of the dam renovation project on the environment. ) The left-shore drainage ditch ” project is a drainage system established to manage waterlogging and salinization in agricultural areas. Locals believe that this project may endanger their villages and farmland.
Villagers: Coal mining and wastewater discharge lead to the death of newborns and cattle
Residents participating in the protest march told VOA that the coal excavation and wastewater discharge of these power plants not only destroyed Tal’s ecosystem, polluted pastures, green spaces, groundwater sources and wells, but also caused the death of local newborns and cattle.
It is estimated that in the seven years from 2017 to 2024, 2000-2500 babies died locally. VOA cannot independently verify this. The Pakistani government does not have statistics in this regard.
According to a report from Peninsula News Channel in August 2016, according to figures provided by the Pakistani government, more than 1,500 children under five have died in Tapaka since 2011. Local doctors blamed the situation on malnutrition —— which is a common cause of infant death in the Tapaka area. Other reasons include untrained midwives in villages, poor sanitation, underweight babies at birth, premature delivery and fetal dysplasia, and widespread infections. In addition, the widespread local early marriage is also one of the factors leading to the death of newborns.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PP) National Assembly member Mahsh-Kumar-Marani(Mahesh Kumar Malani) denied the local villagers in an interview with VOA on Monday statement. He specifically mentioned the Gorano Reservoir, calling it an invisible blessing in this desert area.
He said: “ In 2017, the Sindh Provincial Government and Sindengro Coal Mining Company introduced a variety of farmed fish, which has now begun to produce. Certified by an independent authoritative laboratory, these fish species are suitable for human consumption. ”
However, when he was told that the residents complained that the fish in the pond was commercially harvested through private channels, and the local residents were not allowed to fish in the pond, he suddenly hung up the phone and did not reply to the VOA reporter. Call him again.
Reasons for the relatively small scale of Tapaka protests
Compared with the recent anti-China protests in Guadal Port, the protests in the Tapaka area are relatively small.
Rights activists Bim Raj (Bheem Raj) told VOA that the protests that lasted for several years did not yield any results, which made people feel exhausted.
He said: “ Over the past eight years, we have been actively protesting coal mining, reservoirs and coal-fired power plants, participating in meditation, hunger strikes and organizing long-distance marches in Islamcott, Hyderabad and Karachi. The provincial government is completely silent on our protests, long-term meditation, hunger strike, and long-distance marches from Islamcott to Karachi, and does not even understand the practical difficulties we face. ”