October 11, 2003

Among Karachi’s most prided possessions, the Clifton beach has always been on the top. However, now the story seems to have taken a twist. End of July brought with it a threat to the lives of 14 million citizen (of Karachi) specially those residing by the seaside. This is when the Greek ship called Tasman Spirit, carrying 67,535 tones of Iranian Light crude oil, ran aground (on July 27) due to inclement weather conditions, while piloting to the Kemari port.

This ship somehow developed a crack in its bottom, which kept on getting wider and the ship finally split on August 17 causing great havoc to the environment. The 14 km long Karachi beach was sealed for the public after almost 50,000 tones of crude oil spilled right into the sea, contaminating the seawater, and polluting the beach and the air surrounding it. On August 13, a number of personnel were deployed to stop people from visiting the seaside. Help lines and health aid camps were set up for public by the government near the Clifton beach.

Residents of Sea view and Dharakshan (apartments by the sea) were the first to suffer from the adverse effects of environmental pollution. People suffered from nausea, sore throat and eye infections, etc.

No oil spill has ever taken place as near as this to human settlement, hence making this the most disastrous event for the inhabitants of the city by the sea. This disaster has not only affected human life but has also almost completely wiped out the eco-system and the other life form whose only survival was the Clifton beach.

 

In-sight

The stupendous oil spillage disaster near the Clifton beach has littered up to more than 15 km of the coastline destroying the natural magnificence of the beach. This beach which once was a lifeline recreational spot of around 100,000 picnickers on weekends has now turned into a rotten dump.

The air at and around the beach contains deadly elements, which are undetectable. The crude oil that oozed out into the sea from the buckled ship — Tasman Spirit, has massively caused destruction to the environment. According to environmental experts this crude oil contained over 50 per cent volatile odourless compounds that basically cannot evaporate easily. Crude oil is a very complex compound containing methane, propane, butane, benzene and toluene, etc. which evaporate at various conditions of temperature and hence dilapidated the air.

 

Hazardous effects of the oil spill

With such a massive unrefined oil spill having spread all around the beach, there are very high chances of health perils. According to the chemical properties around 40 per cent of this oil contained complexes that disappear in general weather circumstances. It is expected that approximately 11,000 tons of volatile organic compounds would have entered the air after the spill.

Any contact with this toxic air can cause ill health. Diseases such as sore throat, ocular problems like burning eyes and various skin diseases are the most obvious side effects of exposure to the oil. These are only the short-term effects, however, not much has yet been found out about what could be the long-term causes.

 

Livelihood

Marine life and mangrove forest are under great threat. On August 14, 500 to 600 kg of dead fish were found on Clifton Beach. According to statistics these fish fall under the following categories: mullets, catfish, shellfish, croakers, scats, eels, tripod, scorpions and crabs. The gills of the fishes and other hard parts of the body such as fin spines were coated with a thick layer of oil.

Complete cleaning of seawater and beaches might take up to five years. Which in other words is a complete end to the livelihood of more than 90,000 registered fishermen.

 

Threat to marine life

This oil spill has left a long lasting impact on the marine life of the Karachi Coast. There is a marked change in the colour of water, soil and sand beside the occurrence of dead fish.

Roughly speaking the spill eradicated 250,000 sea birds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbour seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs.

Despite this, many marine species have been completely wiped out after the spill but otters remain at about half their existing figure before the spill.

The marine mammals that are most vulnerable are those that regularly feed in the shallow water off the Karachi beaches, like the humpback dolphin.

Apart from the marine animals, there are many species of birds that have been affected. These include resident birds such as herons, plovers, waders, egrets, sandpipers, kites, crows, ospreys curlews and gulls. There are many birds, which migrate from other place to settle here during this season (from September till January). And now they have to find some other place to spend the season in order to survive.

The government is trying to work out ways to save the environment. The least time expected to achieve this goal is almost a year.

 

Conclusion

I believe that oil disasters will never stop taking place, we have seen them before and we might have to see more! Of course, every disaster takes place because there is some unseen flaw.

Unless the world puts strict restrictions on the ships that transport oil, problems like this will never cease. We must insist that only ships that are sturdy and able should be used to carry oil.

It’s not the problem of any single country or any particular oil company, it’s a problem of the inhabitants who are suffering. The wide population that lives by the sea and the major loss of marine life. The end of livelihood for so many fishermen! The present situation where the victim (i.e. the nearest country where the incident took place) has to pay the price which is unfair and wrong.

“I think every problem also has a solution. This disaster has caused thousands of people to suffer from health hazards. Why can’t we live a safer life? There are many ways the dangerous effects of oil spills can be resisted, but why didn’t the authorities take up sufficient measures to stop the already deteriorating condition from aggravating? Here we are living under threat and there is nobody who seems to care. If this would have happened in America, it would have shook the world!”

“I think oil companies should be made to pay for the clean-up operations required as a result of any spills from their vessels. That would concentrate corporate minds on ensuring that their vessels are constructed so as to minimize the risk of an oil spill (e.g. double skinned hulls).”

“In cleaner times, the beach was a popular gathering point but now no one can even step there. The shoes are immediately covered with a sticky coat of black oil, making it impossible to move any further. And only a few minutes on the beach mean a certain headache, followed by nausea, and possible vomiting.”