November 17, 2002	Sunday	Ramazan 11, 1423

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KARACHI, Nov 16: People took away thousands of dead and hazardous small-size fish from the beach near Sea View area, which had started accumulating there since Friday evening.

The government officials, in a belated move on Saturday evening, warned the people not to consume the poisonous dead stuff.

The health department and environmental protection agency people informed Dawn that samples of the suspect fish had been collected for chemical test.

The reason why an unprecedented number of fish made a beach landing was not immediately known. The officials said they could offer an explanation by Monday.

Quoting the Defence Housing Authority staff, the Sindh Environment Protection Agency officials, who reached the sea side at around 9pm, said that most of the fish were collected in bulk by fish and poultry feed producers.

“We have been told by the DHA staff that till Saturday morning, small fish — 8 to 18 inch in size — were thrown out of sea in huge quantity,” the officials said, adding that fish were carried away by professionals on pick-ups during the day.

It was learnt that the officials concerned came to know of the development only on Saturday evening, when only a few fish had been left. It was the Governor House which was informed first, perhaps by the DHA officials, which started calling the departments concerned, said a source.

Normally, we do not see such species in our market and it is understood that such sardines are not eaten by people, added the sources.

A Sindh health department spokesman told Dawn that under the directives of the Sindh Governor, the secretary health, Ameer Ali Burq, had asked the people not to eat the fish taken away from the beach. These stinking fish were poisonous and eating them could put their health at risk, he warned.

The Director General of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Shafiq Ahmad Khuso, told Dawn that he had asked the police to keep vigil around the area in question, and ensure that fish were not taken away any further.

He said the chemical test would be carried out at Environmental Protection Agency laboratories on Sunday, while the samples would also be sent to HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry on Monday for detailed analysis.

In the meantime, contacts would also be made with oceanography institute and other marine agencies to know the exact cause behind the incident.

Giving immediate reason behind the death of fish, one eco-expert said the possibility that hazardous chemicals were off-loaded by some ship in the deep sea could not be ruled out.

Fish lost their lives by inhaling the deadly chemicals and, finally, were drifted ashore, he said.