December 20, 2008	Saturday	Zilhaj 21, 1429

KARACHI, Dec 19: The Sindh environment and alternative energy department on Friday constituted a committee to evaluate the damage, both to the environment and to the health of the populace, caused by the crude oil leak in Korangi on Wednesday night.

Several residents of Sector 48-B of Korangi Town reported to emergency health camps on Friday complaining of sore throats and irritation in their eyes. The air in the area carried highly toxic fumes for hours after the punctured oil pipeline was repaired, as a huge quantity of crude oil had already rained down upon the locality by then.

While the exact quantity of the oil that crept onto the roads and found its way into homes and shops via the air is yet to be ascertained, experts say there will likely be more repercussions of the incident in the days to come.

A director of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), Naeem A. Mughal, told Dawn that the formation of a special committee, comprising representatives of different government environmental research institutions, city and town governments and independent consultants on conservation had been ordered by the secretary of the provincial environment and alternative energy department, Mir Hussain Ali.

The committee would be convened by the newly posted Director-General of Sepa, Aftab Khatri, and will formulate strategies for the repair of the environment and rehabilitation of life and property in the affected areas of Korangi, Mr Mughal added. He said the committee would hold its first meeting within two days and would submit its recommendations to the Sindh government.

Mr Mughal went on to say that a meeting with senior officials from the Sui Southern Gas Company (whose staff were responsible for the leak) and the Pak Arab Refinery Limited (who own the oil pipeline) was also held on Thursday, where parties admitted their shortcomings in creating a situation where the oil spill occurred. They committed that they would take responsibility for restoring and rehabilitating the area in question to its original state.

Meanwhile, experts have blamed both the state-run gas company and the refinery for not coordinating with each other. A conservationist said that both companies failed to contact each other, monitor each other’s activities or even exchange relevant information pertaining to underground lines and sensitive supply pipelines. The undertaking of work on the gas transmission line by SSGC personnel after sunset was also questioned.

Korangi’s town health officer, Dr Syed Husain Ahmed, told Dawn that health workers in the area were continuously monitoring the population and so far had not come across any extraordinary cases.

He said that most people reported to the authorities with pains and irritation in their throat and eyes. Dr Ahmed asserted that CDGK health personnel would be available in the area for the next few days, as experts feared that the recent change in weather could exacerbate health problems.