Chinese company supporting local community in COVID-19

Islamabad : To fight against the COVID-19 Chinese government is providing its full support to Pakistan along with this Chinese companies working on different projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are also playing their part to support local community.

A Chinese company China Gezgouba Group Corporation (CGGC) working on Suki Kinari Hydropower Project, which is located on Kunhar River in the Kaghan Valley of District Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

Pakistan government has imposed lock down after the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. In this situation it has become difficult for locals to get food items.

To support the local community CGGC has distributed 200 food packs which includes flour, rice, oil, sugar, tea and soaps among the general public.

To ensure the safety of their employees from coronavirus CGGC has conducted spray in working places and installed walkthrough spray gates.

Pakistani employees of CGGC while talking to China Economic Net said that company is taking all measures to ensure safety of its staff from COVID-19.

They told that walkthrough spray gates are installed in all the working places and company is conducting spray regularly.

Talking about distribution of food packs in local community during lock down employees said that CGGC has done great job in the time of need.

They said this time when everything is closed in Pakistan and daily wages employees of local community lost their jobs. It was big relief for them to have food packs by CGGC.

CGGC employees said not local community but we also appreciate the kind act of Chinese company to support general public at the time of need.

A Chinese company China Gezgouba Group Corporation (CGGC) working on Suki Kinari Hydropower Project in December 2016 with the estimated cost of 1.9 Billion USD. The project would be complete on 31 December 2022 in 6 years. Suki Kinari, run-of-the-river largest private sector Hydropower Project in Pakistan will add 870 MW to national grid by December 2022.

Suki Kinari Hydropower project (SKHPP) is located on Kunhar River in the Kaghan Valley of District Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

Run-of-the-river projects envisages that the water is drawn from the river, taken to the turbines in a Powerhouse located downstream through tunnel and after running the turbines and producing energy the water is again diverted back to the river.

This water is now again available to be used to produce energy through yet another similar set up downstream. This is called cascading.

As many as 3.081 billion MW of mean annual power will be generated during the formal operation of SKHPP. It helps alleviate Pakistan's chronic energy shortages, optimize power consumption structure and promote the economical development.

Around 1,600 Pakistanis work in SKHPP including over 900 skilled people and over 700 labors. Recruitment plan in 2019 and 2020 will provide another 3,000 jobs for the locals.

The potential for energy generation from Kunhar River was first identified around 1960. In 1959, Charles T Main US consultants were engaged by WAPDA to study this potential. In January 1960, they issued a report entitled ‘Kunhar River Project-Kaghan Valley.’