Since the realization that Pakistan has to move from geopolitics to geo–economics, infrastructure development in the country has picked up. Under this premise, various infrastructure projects are being constructed in the country through Special Purpose Companies (SPC). Only a few SPCs have put into efforts and resources to train local workers and provide them with internationally–acceptable standards of living. These best practices have been developed over time to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of the workers.
The 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project located on the Jhelum River is under CPEC started its construction in 2016 and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2022. The Project at a cost of 1.7 Billion Dollars is financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Silk Road Fund, China Development Bank and the Export–Import Bank of China. It follows IFC’s performance standards,which cover a wide variety of components and help to achieve high-quality standards related to the workers at the project site.
The project is upholding the internationally–accepted good practices for its workers and is providing good living conditions, Covid–free premises ensuring the health, availability of adequate living space, access to clean drinking water, and quality diet. As of Jan. 2022, the project has employed 632 Chinese workers and 2,058 Pakistani workers, with the ratio of Chinese workers to Pakistani workers reaching 1:3.3, creating numerous job opportunities for the locals. The Local population has not only benefitted in terms of handsome remunerations but has also been incorporated in various roles at the construction project. The local community becomes long-term project stakeholders, leading to the infrastructure’s social sustainability.
The health, efficiency, and satisfaction of the workers is directly related to the proper diet, the management attaches great importance to diet to ensure its quality and quantity. The canteen staff is provided with proper clothing and hygiene training. The management of the company ensures the availability of fresh vegetables and food, andregular checks on the quality and quantity of the stocks are carried out. In a recent exercise, 61 chefs and kitchen helpers from the workers camps received health checkups, mainly tested for hepatitis, typhoid, dengue, HIV, and other serious diseases. This effort is made to ensure the hygiene of the meals prepared along with food. The provision of clean drinking water is also of prime importance at the project sites, clean potable water has always been an uphill task. At Karot HPP, the workers camps are provided with water dispensers, installed with mineral water.
The safety is yet another significant achievement in which Karot HPP has excelled. Karot has the lowest incident rate compared to other mega projects being constructed in Pakistan. Workers are provided with Personal Protective Equipment such as boots, helmets, new uniforms, and other such equipment required. It is to be noted here that even during peak Covid times, while other major corporations were undergoing layoffs, there was no staff layout at Karot. This not only provided the necessary support to the workers and staff during difficult times but also depicted the strong commitment the company had towards its employees.
Workers are educated about their rights by the Health and Safety Department. The Labor Camp Managers ensure that an easy and accessible “Grievance Mechanism” is available and within reach of the workers. In addition to that, other policies like freedom of association, zero tolerance towards abuse, and anti-discrimination policies arealso shared with the workers through workshops and seminars.
Having thousands of employees working on-site and that too on a vital water source for the people of Pakistan (the river Jhelum) while ensuring that human activity does not disturb the ecology of the water is a challenging but essential task. To achieve minimum ecological effect due to human activity, Karot HPP has installed wastewater treatment equipment and hired a specialized company to collect solid waste to ensure its proper disposal. An elaborate fire hazard safety management is in place for fire-related emergencies. The Fire Safety Provisions of Pakistan has been completely implemented at the site and the sites have been equipped with ample fire extinguishers, emergency lights, and other related equipment.
Karot Hydropower Project is providing its workforce with a living space and environment compliant with the best practices available throughout the world. The efforts made at theproject site can be replicated at other sites to ensure a safe and sound environment for the workers to live in. This incredible improvement has set a precedent in safety and compliance for future construction projects in Pakistan.
Moaaz Awan
The Author is a keen China Observer and a Ph.D. Scholar at Tianjin University. His research interests include China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Belt and Road Initiative and Shanghai Cooperation Organization
