KARACHI    -   Sindh Chief Minister Syed Mu­rad Ali Shah on Monday said that the Thar Coal Block-I af­fected people (PAPs) would be settled properly by establishing their colonies to be equipped with all the facili-ties.

“The Shanghai Group work­ing in Block-I should expedite construction of the residential colony so that affected people could be shifted there.”

This he said while talking to the delegation of Shanghai Electric Group led by its Presi­dent Mr Liu Ping here at CM House. The delegation mem-bers include Deputy President Mr. Yi Xianrong, Chairman Block-1 Power Genera-tion Co. Mr. Meng Donghai and others. The CM was assisted by Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh.

Energy Minister Imtiaz Shai­kh briefing the chief minister said that two vil-lages have been affected with the start of work in Block-I. He added that the project has affected families. At this the chief minister said that his gov-ernment would provide them well planned and built houses in a colony.

Imtiaz Shaikh told the chief minister that the Shanghai Group has paid 50 percent pay­ment for construction of the houses for the affected people. He added that as the work would progress the company would pay the remaining 50 percent amount.

At this the CM directed Mr Shaikh to ensure construction of the houses as per require­ment of the area. “The colony of the affected people of Block-I should be provided all the facil­ities such as water, electricity, roads, greenery/tree planta­tion, community halls, separate for Hindu and Muslims, school and dispensary.

President Shanghai Group Mr Liu Ping told the chief minister that the land acquisi­tion has not been completed. At this Minister Energy said “Most of the land acquisition matters have been solved and only 660-acre of Naqboli land is pending due to some issue. The chief minister assured the Chinese group that the remaining issues of the land would be resolved shortly.” Mr Shah told the visiting guests that his government has taken special measures to provide security to Chinese nationals working in the province. It may be noted that Shanghai Group is establishing two 260 MW coal-based power plants at Thar Block-I.

MURAD URGES FED BUREAU OF STATISTICS TO ENSURE ACCURACY OF 7TH CENSUS

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his meeting with a delegation of Federal Bureau of Statistics led by Chief Statis-tician Dr Naeem Zafar said that he has nothing to do with the technology being ad­opted to conduct 7th Popula­tion & Housing Census but his concern was its ac-curacy and authenticity.

The meeting was attended by Sindh govt side Senator taj Haider Minister Labour Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Has-san Naqvi, Special Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and bu­reau side Chief Statis-tician Dr Naeem Zafar, Members Sarwar Gondal and Ayazuddin, Deputy DG Census Rabia Awan and Di­rector Munawar Ghanghro.

Dr Naeem Zafar while brief­ing the chief minister said that the Digital Census and pilot-Digital census has been started from July 27 under which field services were in progress.

The CM was told that com­prehensive training with tech­nology inno-vations has been started for the 7thcensus.

At this the chief minister said that in the 6th census the pop­ula-tion of Sindh was shown to a lesser extent. “It is not an issue which technology the bu­reau are using for enumeration but the question is of its accu­racy and authenticity,” he said. Mr Shah was told that a census work plan, questionnaire have been prepared and census mon­itoring committees have been formed. The meeting decided to hold more meetings to firm up suggestions of provinces