The Sahiwal Coal Power Plant was built to help solve Pakistan’s severe electricity shortages. When it started operating in 2017, this 1,320 MW plant was expected to bring jobs, improved public services, and development to the region. However, this study shows that despite promises, the benefits for the villages closest to the plant have been very small, while the social, economic, and environmental costs have been huge. The study looks closely at how the plant has affected land, income, water, farming, travel, jobs, and government oversight in two nearby villages i.e. Chak No. 76/5-R and Chak No. 77/5-R. To do this, PSS researchers used a household survey of 121 people, four focus group discussions, 19 interviews with experts and officials, official records, environmental documents, and laboratory tests.
The plant has completely changed the local economy and daily life, and not for the better. Fertile farmland was taken, irrigation channels were modified, and a vital railway crossing was permanently closed. These changes reduced agricultural incomes, increased travel costs, hurt livestock farming, and made everyday life challenging for many families.
The process of buying the land also lacked clear rules and logic. The original 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report talked about using 639 acres of government land. Instead, the plant was built on privately owned, fertile agricultural land, and the total land taken rose to 1,004 acres. There are no public records explaining why the location changed or why additional land was needed.