Abstract
Thar coal field area is spread 9100 square Kilometers in Thar Desert area of District Tharparkar Sindh province of Pakistan. The desert area is totally different area of Pakistan due to very limited income generating opportunities, food insecurity, scant water resources, lack of health facilities and low literacy rate. However economic activities depend on the monsoon rain and the major source of income is livestock rearing and agriculture. Hence, a substantial number of people are seasonally migrated in search of food and fodder. The discovery of Coal in 1988 is highlighted at national and international level as a sixth largest lignite coal reserves in the World. For the purpose of coal extraction, Government of Sindh and Pakistan initiated Thar coal projects without local consent of indigenous people of Thar coal field area and such act has a negative impact on the development process. This research paper is to find out the local consent in the shape of community participation in the Thar Coal Development project. The Study reveals that community awareness and participation is recorded at the lowest level whereas complete negligence of females and just 3% male participated. Moreover, the major source of information is media, rumors and NGOs.
The Editor and the Sub-Editor share no responsibility regarding the views and opinions expressed by the authors. Articles published in the Biannual Research Journal Grassroots can be quoted or reproduced after acknowledgment.