ISLAMABAD: Emissions from the new coal power plants will increase green house gases, said Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid on Friday.

`The ministry is concerned about these major impacts on air quality, about ash and waste water disposal and ecological and socio-economic impacts,` Mr Hamid told the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, which met to discuss the impacts of emissions from coal fired thermal power plants on the climate of the country.

However, the meeting began with the committee taking notice of an incident when an official of the climate change ministry beat a Pakistan Television reporter. The official had taken offence when he was requested to keep quiet while the minister was addressing an event on Wednesday. The incident coincided with Wold Press Freedom Day, observed on May 3 each year.

PML Senator Mushahid HusseinSyed asked the climate change minister to look into the matter while the chairman of the committee, Senator Mir Mohammad Yousaf Badini asked Mr Hamid to punish the of ficial af ter which the minister assured the committee he will look into the matter.

In his briefing on coal power plants, the minister said after devolution, provincial environment protection agencies will have to ensure that once power plants were operational, emission will remain within the limits according to the National Environment Quality Standards.

Nevertheless, he said, coal power plants are needed to meet the energy deficit in the country.

`Coal power plants are the only way to get energy quickly. If there is compliance, the power plants will not hurt the environment as much, he said.

PTI Senator Samina Abid objected to these power plants saying the rest of the world was discardingcoalasfuel.

`We all know once the coal power plants start operating there will be no check on emissions,` she said.

Mr Zahid explained that coal fired power plants will have `supercritic al` emi ssion-re ducing technology and that the reduced emissions have been assured by the Chinese as well.

`We have to keep in mind thatPakistan has the sixth largest coal reserves in the world, with deposits in four provinces. It is time Pakistan utilised this resource to meet its energy needs,` he added.

PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rasheed said the new coal power plants had better technology than those from 40 years ago.

`Instead of protesting and trying to stop the power plants from coming up, the committee should ensure the emissions from them are kept in accordance with the law,` Mr Rasheed said.

Some of the under construction coal power plants are the Sahiwal Power plant, Port Qasim Coal Power Project Karachi, Sindh Engro Tharparkar, Hub Coal Power Project Balochistan which are all 1, 320 MW.

The 40 MW Maple Leaf Power in Mianwali, 330 MW Thalnova Power Tharparkar, 350 MW Siddique Sons Energy Karachi, the 720 MW K-Electric Coal Power Plant Karachi, and the 120 MW Muzaffargarh Sugarcane Power Plant are also under construction.

Letter of intents have been issued for The Oracle Coal Fields Tharparkar, Rahim Yar Khan Power Plant, Gagani Energy Park which are all 1, 320 MW projects besides the 600 MW Jamshoro Coal Power Project and the 300 MW Gwadar Coal Power Project.