KARACHI - About 32 projects have been taken up by the Alternative Energy Development Board of federal government through private investors in Thatta and Jamshoro districts to produce approximately 2,000 to 2,500 megawatts of electricity from wind and solar sources. This was informed to the Sindh Assembly session by Sindh Environment and Alternative Energy Minister Shaikh Muhammad Afzal during question-hour of Assembly on Thursday. He said that the federal government’s organisation’s step was overriding the provincial government authority, demanding to involve the alternative energy department into the projects. Currently these projects are at various stages.This activity is being implemented by the federal government with consultation of Sindh Board of Investment and Revenue Department as Alternative Energy Department has not been involved in these projects. He informed the House that in February 2011, the 35,000 acres land allocated to the investors through the Alternative Energy Development Board was cancelled as none of the projects were fulfilled their commitment to generate electricity in 2011. Subsequently, the allotments were reviewed on case-to-case basis after tasking additional bank guarantee and undertaking to complete the project by 2013, provincial minister said. “The progress is being monitored and in case of violation of agreed time-schedule, the allocation of land can be withdrawn.”Among the projects taken in hand are 84 micro wind turbines installed in 13 villages of Thatta to electrify 580 homes, besides 3,000 households in 49 villages of district Tharparkar have been provided electricity through solar PV technology. Through the ADP 2012-13, the environment and alternative energy department is implementing some projects in the field of alternative energy, he added.Regarding areas feasible for installation of wind mills, provincial minister told the house that the strongest wind corridor of country is located in Sindh. This wind corridor known as Gharo Keti Bandar Wind Corridor spreads 60km along the coastline of Sindh and more than 170km deep towards the land and is mostly located in Thatta and Jamshoro districts. This wind corridor has potential to generate 50,000MWs of electricity. Recent data received through new masts installed by AEDB and UNDP at different locations in Sindh has identified new potential areas in Sindh, which include Badin, Tharparkar and Hyderabad.Afzal said environment and alternative energy department had held number of meetings with banks and financial institutions to facilitate the solar systems for power generation projects for common man.To another question, the minister said that system of cooking was being introduced through solar energy in the villages to save forests in the province. Through an ADP scheme titled ‘Supply of solar stoves in rural areas of Sindh’, solar stoves/cookers will be distributed in the rural areas of province, which would ensure conservation for forests vital for ecosystems, specially endangered ones like mangroves and also protect the women fold from air pollution. This would also reduce vulnerability to water borne diseases as boiled water would be available for use, free of cost, minister added.Responding to another query, he said that a number of industrial units are polluting the environment. The Sindh Environment Protection Agency with its limited resources make efforts to monitor and take action against such violators, he claimed.When asked whether government had planned to generate 50MW electricity through solar energy during 2009-10, provincial minister replied in affirmative, saying that a project for generation of 50MWs electricity through solar energy in upper Sindh was proposed in 2009. A feasibility study is being conducted through the Annual Development Programme in the current financial year, on which the actual project would be formulated. He told the House that no any proposal to prepare small and medium sized energy project of 5 to 10MWs in costal belt was under process by the department.The environment minister replying to another query said that electricity could be generated by using bio-gas produced from cow dung. The Environment and Alternative Energy Department is facilitating a project in Landhi Cattle Colony., which is being pursued by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation.