KARACHI, Nov 25: While any official declaration about reopening of beaches to general public is awaited, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has conducted some fresh tests at selective spots along the beach to know the prevailing level of pollution caused by oil spill from foreign oil tanker Tasman Spirit some four months back.

The secretary of the Sindh Environment and Alternative Energy Department, Shujaat Ali Qarni, told Dawn on Tuesday that there was no harm in visiting the Clifton beach. However, the visitors and picnickers in their own interests were advised not to go into the sea or damage the beach surface, he added.

Following the massive spill from Tasman Spirit, the environment in the recreational strip and residential areas along the sea had deteriorated considerably, requiring a clean up exercise.

Mr Qarni said that EPA scientists once again had carried out tests by collecting samples from five places along the beach in view of the expected visits by picnickers during Eid holidays. He said that the scientists had collected the samples of air, sand and water the other day and the oil content in those samples was found very low.