CPEC coal-based power plants will harm environment

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that coal-based power plants under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will damage the environment.

The Dawn quoted an evaluation report of the power sector of Pakistan released by ADB as saying that the upcoming 10 gigawatts generation capacity from the power plants will increase greenhouse gas emissions substantially that will worsen the climate change concerns.

The report further stated that ash handling and disposal problems will add to the negative impacts.

In January, a report published by Germany's Deutsche Welle broadcasting website said local activists fear these projects would not only trigger an ecological disaster, a demographic shift and encourage land grabbing, but also threaten their unique culture.

China came up with its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative in 2013.

The project comprises a network of railways, roads, and pipelines that would connect Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the province of Balochistan, with the Chinese city of Kashgar in landlocked Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

The human rights activists have, time and again, spoken about and highlighted the growing atrocities of Pakistan on the indigenous people of Balochistan and deteriorating human rights situation as a result of the CPEC.