MITHI: The large number of the workers of different companies engaged in coal mining in power generation in Block-1 of Thar Coalfields near Islamkot town on Wednesday are boycotting their duties at various sites staged the demonstration at the main gate of the companies’ offices for several hours.
The leader, talking to the enraged fellow workers, said that the officials as well as their contractors had no sophisticated and comprehensive policies of both hiring and firing the workers at the different projects being undertaken by different companies both national and international. They said that during the past few months as many as seven workers hired by the officials and contractors had lost their lives while performing due to poor safety measures as per the requirement of the nature of their work. They said that officials despite their frequent peaceful protests were least interested in providing them with the basic facilities as per the commitments and the standards set by the same companies in their other projects both in Pakistan and other countries.
They warned to resume their protest if the high-level probe as was promised Sindh Energy Minister Mr Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh had made with the relatives of Haresh that if the compensation of Rs 50 million if not paid to them within a week time, they would helped by Sindh government to register an FIR against the responsible officers of Block-1 of Thar Coalfields. Mr Sheikh had issued the directions to the officials of the mining firms to address the real issues of the workers hired by different mining companies and towards those whose lands had been acquired for the coal extraction.
While, another coal miner lost his life in Thar A worker of a Chinese company CNNC was killed on Tuesday after he was reportedly electrocuted while performing his duties in Block-one in Thar Coalfields near Islamkot. Abdul Rashid Solang from Kandhkot district. who was employed by the private company where he was killed in an accident while repairing an electric motor. The officials of the mining company despite the repeated failure could not be contacted for the version of the second incident in a week. A few days back at the same site another worker lost his life when he had fallen from the power plant.
Here it is pertinent to mention that during a few months as many as seven workers lost their lives in different incidents due to the terrible lack of the safety measures by the contractors and officials of the mining firms in Block-1 of Thar coalfields. The rights activists working in Thar expressed their deep grief over the incident and said that companies instead of bringing any progress had turned the coalfields into a living hell for Tharis and workers from different areas. They asked the high-ups of Sindh government to order the inquiry into every incident and asked the officials to ensure the safety measures for the work Haresh Kumar Meghwar, who had died in the month of April this year due to improper treatment.
