1. “Dirty Thar Coal Versus Environment Friendly Kalabagh Dam in Pakistan
& South Asia”.
• It is very strange to note that present Government of Pakistan is advocating
for Air Polluting Thar Coal Project Versus Environmental Friendly Kalabagh
Dam.
• Kalabagh dam which will increase the water resources of the country is being
opposed while Thar coal project, which will consume huge amount of water
and will contaminate all water, air and land resources of Pakistan is being
advocated by the government.
• Clean electricity produced by Kalabagh dam will be available to every citizen
of the country while Thar coal project will pollute all water, air and land
resources of not only of Pakistan but also of neighbouring countries like India
and China.
• Thar coal will effect each and every living organism while environment
friendly Kalabagh will not only store water for the cultivation of land , but also
will produce clean energy without carbon emmision, by that electricity it will
be possible to pump out under ground water which will also increase water
resources and will store water for cultivation of land, Kalabagh Dam will
increase wet land for fisheries, will increase green land which will be helpful
in decreasing environmental carbon dioxide produce by coal and other fuels
and will control flooding and erosion of land and will save lives and lands of
people.
• Coal is one of the most polluting sources of energy available, jeopardizing our
health and our environment. While Kalabagh Dam will have multiple
advantages and will act as clean electricity power house, Sweet water
reservoir and floods controller all these things will improve fertility of lands,
will reduce poverty and will increase food production.
The Effects of Coal on the Environment.
Coal as a source of energy is probably the most environmentally damaging of
all the traditional sources of energy.
• One must keep in mind that a typical power coal plant generates 3 million
tons of CO2 or 17 tons of carbon per megawatt and draws about 2.3 billion
gallons of water per annum from nearby source while on land coal produces
mercury which not only renders water useless for human consumption but
also for irrigation purpose as well.
• “Coal Power in a Warming World” by Barbara Freese et al, published by the
Union of Concerned Scientists in October 2008 states that “The underground

2. mining of coal is a dangerous profession, and underground and surface mining
are both highly damaging to landscapes, water supplies, and ecosystems”.
• The Natural Resources Defense Council paper entitled “Coal in a Changing
Climate”, issued in February 2007 claims that “Coal mining—and particularly
surface or strip mining—poses one of the most significant threats to terrestrial
habitats in the United States.”
• Figures from “Key World Energy Statistics: 2008″ show that coal is responsible
for 42% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.
• “Coal in a Changing Climate” shows that coal produces large amounts of
airborne toxic chemicals, including sulfur dioxide, mercury, nitrous oxides,
arsenic and lead.
• Coal is a highly polluting energy source. It emits much more carbon per unit
of energy than oil, and natural gas. CO2 represents the major portion of
greenhouse gases. It is, therefore, one of the leading contributors to climate
change.
• From mine to sky, from extraction to combustion — coal pollutes every step of
the way. The huge environmental and social costs associated with coal usage
make it an expensive option for developing countries.
• Coal mining is responsible for acid drainage from coal mines, polluting rivers
and streams, to the release of mercury and other toxins when it is burned, as
well as climate-destroying gases and fine particulates that wreak havoc on
human health, COAL is unquestionably, a DIRTY BUSINESS.
South Asia.
On one side China and India are planning to curb the Carbon emission by
curbing the use of oil, coal and other fossil fuels, and Bangladesh and Maldives
are crying for taking measures against rise of seas due to global warming and
melting of glaciers and on other side Government of Pakistan is planning to use
Thar coal which will not only cause global warming but also pollute the whole
environment of South Asia but in fact will endanger the life of 3 Billion peoples
living in China, India, Kashmir, Northern areas, NWFP, PUNJAB and Sindh, as
the direction of smoke and dangerous gases will be from east to north west of
Pakistan. And people of these areas will suffer from respiratory diseases such as
Asthma, Bronchitis, Cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and people of these
areas will suffer from dangers and adverse effects of smoking without smoking
the cigarettes.
Government of Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned for sinking delta dwellers
people of Bangladesh and Island dweller people of Maldives under sea by

3. wasting about 10 Million Acres feet water of River Indus from the catchments
area of whole of Pakistan in the sea and is not preserving and storing that water
in dams like Kalabagh and Basha, on one side people of Pakistan are suffering
from acute wastage of water and electricity and on other side Government is
wasting sweet water in the sea which is not only causing sea rise and erosion of
coastal land for whole of subcontinent, including Bangladesh and Maldives but is
also harmful for saline habitat fishes and saline and sea plants like Mangroves
Countering Rise in Sea level and Global Warming.
Global Warming:
For countering global warming there is need to completely restrict use of coal for
any purpose and to minimize other fossils fuels such as oil and gas and use of
alternatives resources such as wind, solar and water power by means of dams
like Kalabagh and Basha Dams in Pakistan should be encouraged and preferred.
Rise in Sea Level.
For countering rise in sea level following measures should be taken to save
and to protect from submerging the people of Bangladesh, Maldives and
other Island dwellers under sea.
• All the rain and glaciers water on land should be preserved and stored in
reservoirs and dams like Kalabagh and other dams for use on land( For
Agriculture, Electricity generation and human consumption) and other
purposes so that no water should waste in sea which will ultimately cause
the rise in sea level.
• In Coastal areas use of sea water should be increased as much as
possible for Industrial and agricultural purposes.
• After desalination and Purification Sea water should be use for human
consumption as much as possible.
• Wastage of sweet water and fertile silt in sea should be prevented and
should be used for fertilization and irrigation of land and other useful
purposes.
• There should be maximum utilization of sea resources such as exploration
of silt and stones from sea towards land and coastal areas.
• There should be maximum utilization of sea resources such as exploration
of sea salts for use as chemicals and other purposes.
• There should be maximum utilization of sea resources such as sea plants
such as algae and fishes to decrease the volume of sea so that rise in sea
could be countered by each and every mean available.

4. Already Polluted Atmosphere of South Asia.
South Asia is already suffering from the adverse effects of Brown
cloud(Accumulation of Dirty gases in upper atmosphere of Subcontinent and is
having negative effects on the health of population of India and Pakistan ,
Moreover there is already shortage of Ozone gas in the upper atmosphere of
South Asia, due to which people of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Sri Lanka ) are not having perfect healthy bodies as compared to other races of
the world, .In view of such a bad condition of atmosphere burning the coal is just
like to throw the people of Pakistan into valley of death, where as there already
so many poor workers are daily dying in the coal mines of Balouchistan, but no
one is having any care about those poor workers.
There are a number of adverse environmental effects of coal mining and burning,
especially the glaciers of the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindukush and Pamir
ranges in Gilgit-Baltistan contribute significantly to the stream flow of the Indus
Basin. More significantly, during the dry season these glaciers become the
system’s only source. Impacts due to climate change on these glaciers have
been studied in recent decades and vivid fluctuation of water flow in the Indus
River Basin System has been reported.
Conclusion:
Due to flow of toxic gases and smoke from Thar Coal towards North and Western
Pakistan, It is the responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Areas, NWFP,
Punjab and Sindh Governments to review the adverse effects of Thar coal as it is
the matter of life and death of the people of these areas. As unhealthy
environment due to smoke and toxic gases will destroy the beauty of land of
Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan and will cause health problems such as cancer,
asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory and genetic diseases due to
environmental pollution in the people of Punjab, NWFP, Kashmir, Gilgit and
Baltistan. Thar coal will destroy the fertility of land and will pollute the water
resources of the country.
It is the responsibility of Governments of China ,India, Bangladesh, Maldives,
Kashmir and Provinces of Pakistan to persuade Federal government of
Pakistan not to use Dirty coal while many dams may be constructed for
generation of clean energy in Pakistan like Kalabagh and Basha Dam, it is
necessary as government of Pakistan is wasting its only Indus River sweet
water( 10 Million Acres Feet Water )in the sea while on the other side common
people of Pakistan are suffering from the thirst and hunger due to shortage of
water and electricity.
Written By:M.AKRAM KHAN NIAZI.
Karachi, Pakistan.
Email:akrumniazi@hotmail.com