Coal-Powered Injustice: Tharparkar’s Desert Sacrifice

ckinitiative
Jul 22, 2025
5 min read

Credits: Mahrosh Usman (Climate Researcher)

How has coal mining in Tharparkar under the CPEC framework contributed to climate injustice and socio-environmental degradation among Indigenous Thari communities?

Introduction

Previously a stronghold of resilience, Tharparkar harmonized scarcity with balance in the desert. For its inhabitants, it represented "a nearly ideal environment-secure, isolated, and enclosed within the desert." However, in the last ten years, this delicate balance has been disrupted by the finding and extraction of 175 billion tonnes of lignite coal hidden under its sands. Promoted as "progress," the Thar coal surge has worsened climate inequality: coal dust pollutes the air, groundwater declines to hazardous levels, and communities struggle to endure. Today in Tharparkar, coal generates profits for distant buyers while the Tharis -Hindu and Muslim farmers and herders of Thar- are in dire need of justice. This piece reveals how a colonial-style development approach and non-transparent corporate agreements have transformed Thar into a contemporary sacrifice area.

Background

Historical Weakness

Tharparkar is the largest district in Sindh with a population of 1.65 million as of 2017, predominantly rural with over 90%. Yearly precipitation ranges from 250 to 300 mm, with nearly all potable water sourced from saline or brackish aquifers. In this tough setting, Thari communities have endured by utilizing communal wells, collecting rainwater, and grazing livestock. Persistent underdevelopment rendered them susceptible: frequent droughts and famines have hit repeatedly. In 2018, drought resulted in a humanitarian crisis, leading to the deaths of more than 600 children from malnutrition and diseases related to water (Tribune, 2021).

The Thar Coal Initiative

In the 1990s, Pakistan found extensive lignite reserves in Thar. Coal mining commenced in earnest in 2015 as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). SECMC, a joint venture between Sindh and Engro, created an open-pit mine in Thar Block-II, while Engro Powergen constructed a 660 MW coal power plant. Additional coal initiatives such as Thar Energy Ltd. and ThalNova are also in the works. Thar is currently designated as a national "energy park" expected to provide 3,960 MW of power. However, even with billions in investment, Thar continues to be energy-deficient (ACJCE, 2023).

Relocation & Advisory Shortcomings

Thousands of acres of land have been stripped, forcing entire villages such as Senhri Dars and Bitara to relocate. Villagers claim they are facing forced evictions without adequate consultation or compensation, infringing upon their Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) rights. The Gorano Dam, constructed to manage mine effluent, continues to be at the heart of legal disputes regarding its ecological and societal effects (Boell Foundation, 2019). Colonial-era acquisition laws, such as the 1894 Land Acquisition Act, have overshadowed traditional communal land use.

Present-Day Effects

Water Shortage & Pollution

Groundwater reserves have been drained due to mine dewatering; even deep wells have run dry. Contaminated wastewater has tainted nearby aquifers. Villagers are now required to travel 3–5 km each day to access water, frequently in dangerous circumstances. RO (Reverse Osmosis) facilities set up in 2015 have largely been unsuccessful owing to inadequate upkeep and lack of financial support (Tribune, 2023).

Public Health Emergency

Polluted water leads to fluorosis, stomach issues, and respiratory ailments associated with coal dust. Research estimates 29,000 deaths linked to pollution if all proposed plants function for three decades (CREA, 2020). Skin and eye disorders are widespread, and childhood malnutrition keeps deteriorating (Dawn, 2020).

Gendered Strain

Women carry the majority of the burden of gathering water and providing care. Extended journeys for water result in reduced time for learning, relaxation, or engaging in economic activities. Households led by women frequently have no support or access to other means of income.

Loss of Employment and Heritage

Conventional grazing areas have been consumed by open-pit mines and hazardous waste lagoons. Deaths of livestock, compelled relocation, and cultural upheaval are widespread. Jobs that were promised have largely been given to outsiders. Residents are currently experiencing increasing unemployment, food scarcity, and cultural decline (Boell Foundation, 2019).

Systems of Injustice

Colonial-Style Land Regulation

The government utilized the 1894 Land Acquisition Act to take possession of communal land. Customary land rights were disregarded, even though local courts decided in support of traditional land usage. Legal safeguards for Indigenous landowners continue to be insufficient or not enforced.

Corporate-Political Cooperation

A strong elite of political and business interests propels the coal agenda. Choices about environmental and land use are taken in secrecy. The majority of project funding is obtained from Chinese banks, which have minimal to no public oversight.

Environmental Mismanagement

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) were frequently defective or altered. Pollution information was concealed or distorted. Regulatory bodies did not implement even fundamental environmental protections, permitting projects to proceed despite obvious infractions (ResearchGate, 2021).

Energy Policy Focused on Urban Areas

Thar’s coal supplies energy to Karachi and other urban areas, but Thar itself lacks dependable electricity, educational institutions, and healthcare services. Tharis endures the ecological and social burdens, whereas urban areas enjoy the advantages.

Solutions / Calls To Action

Transition to Renewable Energy Thar is perfectly adapted for solar and wind energy. Pilot initiatives such as Oracle Power’s 1 GW solar facility in Block VI need to be expanded and duplicated.
Implement FPIC and Indigenous Rights. Communities should have a real voice in all development activities. Laws regarding land acquisition should be revised to support traditional and communal rights.
Reconstruct Water SystemsRepair and sustain RO facilities. Enhance rainwater collection. Put resources into sustainable systems for canal-based and groundwater recharge.
Enhance Community InitiativesSupport Thari NGOs such as LOK SUJAG and youth-driven climate organizations. Initiatives led by women, particularly those concerning water access and health, warrant prioritized support.
Incorporate equity into climate policy; adaptation resources and development initiatives need to focus on at-risk areas such as Thar. Future initiatives should ensure employment, vital services, and robust environmental protections.

Conclusion

The tragedy in Tharparkar results not from natural occurrences but from exploitative policies and systemic disparities. Coal development in this area exemplifies a larger trend of climate inequity: the influential exploit resources and contaminate the environment, while the underprivileged endure and adjust. Achieving a fair transition for Thar involves more than just renewable energy sources. It calls for acknowledgment of land rights, real community engagement, and authentic local empowerment. Until that time arrives, coal-fueled inequity will persist in depriving Tharis of their fundamental rights: to exist securely and honorably on their heritage land, not as remnants of the past, but as legitimate guardians of their destiny.

Be the Change: Join CKI’s Mission for Thar

Thar’s fight against coal-fueled injustice needs more than sympathy-it needs your voice. Through CKI’s Climate Ambassador Program, you can lead awareness drives, educate peers, and mobilize action around environmental racism, extractive policies, and Indigenous land rights in Tharparkar. Want to go further? The CKI Climate Enrichment Program empowers you to collect donations, support frontline communities, and fund essentials like clean water systems and legal aid for displaced families. Whether you're hosting a campus event or organizing online, your activism can light the way toward justice-for Thar, and beyond.