Over the past decade, the Thar desert subdistrict of Islamkot, located in district Tharparkar, has experienced a dramatic transformation.
What was once a mostly barren landscape has now given way to expanding infrastructure with the distinctive stamp of industrialisation. This change, accelerated by the development of Pakistan’s largest lignite coal reserves, is often welcomed as a sign of national development and energy self-sufficiency. However, there are complications.
Though proponents of the Thar coal project highlight jobs, infrastructure, and energy security, the timing and model of this development call for scrutiny. Has this transformation shown any sign of long-term ecological foresight, or has it been hurried under the banner of ‘development at any cost’?
Evidence of environmental consequences of open-pit coal mining, saline water reservoirs, and poorly planned urban expansion are beginning to surface. And while the imagery of green patches and water bodies may suggest renewal, the reality is that much of it is artificial, seasonal, or environmentally unsustainable.
Between 2015 and 2023, satellite imagery shows an abrupt drop in barren land from 3,285 square kilometres to 2,190 square kilometres, with 969 square kilometres replaced by vegetation, 114 square kilometres of built-up areas, and mining areas spanning 32 square kilometres. On paper, this may imitate variation, but the surge in vegetation is mainly reliant on unpredictable rains. The built-up area has expanded ten times, driven by population growth and coalfield development.
The arrival of the artificial reservoir, Gorano Pond, has altered local hydrology. Mining areas, which were vague in 2014, now spread over 32 square kilometres, leaving marks on Tharparkar’s rich desert ecology. These figures, validated through NASA-USGS data, tell a story of fast, unbalanced variation, one driven further by extractive drive rather than sustainable planning.
The cost of coal has be measured in not just megawatts but also in the damage to Thar’s land, air, groundwater, and the dignity of the people who have called it home for generations
The expansion of coal mining has led to the extensive shift of natural flora and fauna, resulting in the irreversible degradation of Thar ecosystems. Groundwater resources are being overextracted, with further risk of contamination from the disposal of saline wastewater posing long-term risks to freshwater aquifers.
Furthermore, coal dust pollution may become a rising health hazard for adjacent villages, contributing to lung illnesses and degrading air quality. Meanwhile, climate change, soil erosion and land degradation have compromised traditional grazing paths and farming, which many local people depend on for survival.
Maybe most damaging of all is the cultural disturbance, as the damage of inherited lands causes indigenous people to undergo obligatory relocation, thus eroding old traditions. The accurate cost of coal is not just measured in megawatts and megaprojects but in the damage to Thar’s land, air, groundwater, and the dignity of the people who have called it home for generations.
Pakistan is not without choices. India, facing similar challenges in coal mining regions, has invested in hybrid energy regions and reclamation of mined land. Even more, the UK and other countries have shown how empowered local governments and integrated environmental planning can mitigate such effects.
Thar, with its abundant solar potential, is well placed to lead a just energy transition. It is essential not to select between power generation and safeguarding. A balanced model, one that complements ecological thresholds and centres the expressions of Thari communities, is both probable and compulsory.
If the aim is sustainable development, a multi-pronged method must be immediately prioritised. Restoration of degraded land through indigenous reforestation and post-mining recovery plans is vital to restore ecological balance.
Groundwater governance must be reinforced by applying integrated groundwater monitoring systems and promoting rainwater harvesting to prevent both depletion and contamination. Future urban development should follow eco-sensitive infrastructure planning, incorporating green belts, safeguard zones, and renewable energy components to minimise environmental disruption.
Equally significant is the inclusion of local communities in the decision-making process through transparent, equitable compensation and participatory planning to protect their rights and livelihoods. Finally, a gradual shift toward clean energy can reduce the region’s dependency on coal and pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable energy future.
These are not optional to include but necessary bannisters for any responsible development in Thar due to the ecologically sensitive zone. The story of Islamkot must not become yet another case study in myopic planning. With the right policies, inclusive governance, and a commitment to environmental responsibility, Thar can still become a model of sustainable energy development, one that powers the nation without darkening the future of its own land and people.
The writer is a researcher and development and water sector professional.
Email: imrantunio786@gmail.com X: @imrantunio
Published in Dawn, Young World, September 22nd, 2025
