STAFF REPORT KHI: The World Bank has pledged to finance a $30 million project relating to Thar coal but later withdrew its support citing a policy change as the reason, said Sindh Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sikander Mandhro told the assembly.
He said this while responding to questions regarding the energy department during the assembly session.
Dr Mandhro said that the World Bank had changed its policy because of environmental concerns relating to pollution generated from the coal-fired power plants.
He said that many environmental groups had also raised concerns and said that coal was not clean energy.
He said the gas had already been produced from coal, while in the second phase that gas would be used to generate electricity very soon.
Dr Mandhro said that the United States and India generated over 60 per cent of their electricity from coal while China generated over 80 per cent of its electricity from its coal-based power stations using old technology, which generated pollution, while the technology to be used in Thar would be new and would generate no or less pollution.