SHANGHAI, Aug. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company, a Pakistan-based subsidiary of Shanghai Electric (601727.SS and 02727.HK) that operates the power plant, held a toy and gift drive on July 19 to celebrate Eid Al-Adha with children and their parents who inhabit the nearby villages of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (PVT) Ltd and its 1320MW power plant. In time for this blessed festival that marks one of the most important days for the community, Shanghai Electric and its staff gifted over 200 kids with toys and gift packages, including cricket gear for boys and bangles, mehndi pastes and snacks for girls.
“The annual Eid Al-Adha is a joyous and special time of year that allows the local community to enjoy the company of their beloved, while the pandemic has cast a shadow over this important festival as social-distancing measures continue to restrict mass gatherings and limit religious practices. On this very day that the community embraces the spirit of giving and helping the vulnerable and poor, we hope that, with this festive toy and gift drive, we can bring a smile to those children’s faces during this unprecedented time, and of course, make this Eid al-Adha a bit brighter and warmer for their families as well,” said Qian Xiaolei, PR Manager of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company.
Covering an area of over 9,000 square kilometres, Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine Power Project, an important part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is located in the Thar Desert in the south-eastern part of Pakistan’s Sindh Province. Once completed, the two 660-megawatt supercritical lignite power stations are expected to provide affordable and reliable electricity for over 4 million Pakistani households, with coal mines reaching an annual output of 7.8 million tons.
Shanghai Electric prioritizes the well-being of the surrounding residents of the Thar Block-1 project and has taken a wide range of measures to ensure the security, health, and safety of its local employees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent drive to offer a bio-secure working environment for the on-site workers, Shanghai Electric has initiated a COVID-19 vaccination program for its Pakistani employees involved in the project, with more than 5,000 employees having received the shot to date.
Sino Sindh Resources Private Limited (SSRL), a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric in Pakistan that develops and operates the coal mines, leads the program. The company worked with doctors and nurses from Karachi to set up multiple vaccination sites at the Shanghai Electric offices in Thar Block-1, which inoculated workers, who volunteered for vaccination, at the rate of 400 people per day.
Wang Xiaofan, Chairman of Sino Sindh Resources Private Limited (SSRL) who launched the vaccination campaign said that Shanghai Electric is making “all-out efforts” to protect the safety of all its employees. “For Shanghai Electric, the safety of our workers comes first, and we are doing everything we can to avoid COVID-19 infection on site. We hope that our latest anti-pandemic effort will not only provide a safe working environment for our employees but also contribute to the vaccination drive in Pakistan as a whole,” Wang said.
Shanghai Electric has been supporting the COVID-19 relief effort in Pakistan since the onset of the pandemic, including the donation of essential supplies to Pakistan’s 441 Infantry Brigade and 6 million rupees to Sindh Province to establish the Coronavirus Emergency Fund, as well as sending personal protective materials, grain and oil to help local teams address food and clothing shortages in impoverished villages.
In addition, Shanghai Electric has also made a continuous effort to boost local employment in Sindh Province by hiring local residents and offering training sessions to improve their skills. As of January 2021, the project has mobilized more than 5,000 employees working on the site – over 75% of whom are local staff.
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