Shahbaz bans small coal-fired power plants

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday approved the decision to impose ban on establishment of small coal power plants across the province to overcome environmental pollution.

Addressing a meeting held at Civil Secretariat through video link, the chief minister said coal power plants of more than 600-MW capacity would be established in future, making the use of super critical technology essential for the new units.

During the meeting, the report of German experts on power generation plant from the local coal in Salt Range was reviewed in detail. Shahbaz said the process of corporate leasing should be introduced for mines along with designing an affective model.

Separately, the chief minister said democracy was a mechanism comprising independence of opinion for evaluating socio-political, economic and cultural systems of the people. In his message on the eve of International Day of Democracy, he said the purpose to celebrate the day was to promote democratic values and norms on permanent basis. “Democracy strengthens the state institutions for providing best services to the people in an organised manner,” he added.

Decisions in democracy were made in Parliament, not one roads, he said, adding democracy wasn’t limited to holding elections and was the system to solve people’s problems. Democracy meant supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law and independence of judiciary and media, said Shahbaz. “Pakistani people fully believe in the democracy and are unanimous about continuity of democratic system in the country.”

He said attitudes based on personal interest, anarchy, accusations as well as the politics of deceit were undemocratic. “People reign supreme in the democracy. All the political powers will have to give proof of promoting best democratic practices for socioeconomic development of the country,” he stressed.

On the other hand, Shahbaz invited newly-appointed UK trade envoy for Pakistan Rehman Chishti – a MP from Gillingham and Rainham –to visit Pakistan at the earliest. During a meeting in London, matters relating to enhancing trade and investment in various sectors of economy came under discussion.

Chishti appreciated the pace at which development projects are being executed in Punjab and showed keen interest in further deepening the trade relations between the two countries.

The chief minister also addressed a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Law and Order via video link and directed the officials concerned to ensure complete ban on display of weapons in Lahore. The decision was taken in connection with the NA-120 by-elections to be held on Sunday, as the meeting also reviewed overall law and order situation in the province and the tour of world XI to Lahore.

The chief said the Punjab government was providing every possible security to the candidates contesting the by-poll and ordered devising an effective strategy to curb aerial firing to celebrate victory.