KARACHI, Aug 29: A plan has been chalked out to conduct medical and marine survey in addition to other steps being initiated in the areas affected due to oil spillage from the broken foreign vessel Tasman Spirit.
This was decided at the Co-ordination Committee’s meeting constituted under the orders of President Gen Musharraf, which met on Friday at the Sindh secretariat and was presided over by provincial chief secretary.
The meeting decided that medical survey of residents of affected areas would be conducted by the Sindh Health Department and the report be submitted within next 10 days.
The Pakistan Navy, Karachi Port Trust, Defence Housing Authority and City Government will ensure provision of team of field experts besides equipment and laboratory facilities to the health department.
The Sindh Fisheries Department would immediately start marine survey with assistance of Forest and Wildlife departments and Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and submit a report, the meeting decided.
The meeting was informed that Pakistan Navy was assisting the KPT and other agencies engaged in different operations launched to combat the situation created as a result of oil spillage.
The meeting decided that a video film will also be prepared to monitor the impact of oil spillage in the affected area. The meeting was told that the SEPA was continuously monitoring the air quality in the affected areas on daily basis.
Over a period of 18 days, air monitoring team of the SEPA collected samples from different locations along the shoreline of Defence, Clifton and Shireen Jinnah Colony, the meeting was told, besides, the SEPA also collected samples from residential areas of Clifton and Defence.
Results of air samples show that active hydrocarbons still exist, which can effect human health, therefore the SEPA suggested that residents of Clifton and DHA should avoid continued exposure to air from seaside.
The meeting was also informed that the SEPA laboratory was monitoring oil contents in seawater since Aug 16, on daily basis, and the locations observed for this purpose are, Village Hotel, Sea View Club, Pepsi Point Sea View, KFC, Clifton, China Chowk, Clifton, National Institute of Oceanography office and Shireen Jinnah Colony.
The highest concentration of 1,680ppm was noted on Aug 18, and 26ppm on Aug 27 near Village Hotel.
Similarly at Seaview Club the concentration was 1,640ppm on Aug 18 and 71ppm on Aug 27.
On Aug 20, oil concentration increased at the point of NIO office up to 1,240ppm and it went up to 2,280ppm on Aug 23 and 35ppm on Aug 27.
At Shireen Jinnah Colony, the oil concentration increased up to 2,230ppm on Aug 23 and 29 ppm on August 27.
The fluctuation in the oil content from one point to another was due to sea tides and wind direction and increase in oil discharge during lighterage from broken ship.
The variations indicate that the discharge of oil from the ship is reducing day by day, due to use of dispersant being sprayed by boats.
A detailed study is being conducted by the sub-committee constituted by SEPA comprising scientist from the HEJ Institute, Karachi University, Marine Fisheries Department and other agencies.
The findings of this committee will be based on the analysis of volatile organic compounds in water, sand, sediment, crude oil and dispersants.
After having all details, the committee will be able to submit a comprehensive report on the overall impact of this accident.—PPI