KPT team leaves for Mubarak Village to cleanup oil spill

KARACHI: A team of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Saturday left for cleaning the oil spill, which was reported yesterday near Mubarak Village coastal belt, said a KPT spokesperson.

“The team will carry out cleaning operation at the seashore, while sand which submerged into the oil”, he continued.

Yesterday, Ministry of Maritime Affairs after taking notice of the news of an oil spill near Mubarak village, contacted all concerned including Navy, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) and Ministry of Petroleum to get information into the matter.

“An inquiry has been ordered to determine the nature of the spill to establish the cause and likely source,” reads the statement issued by the ministry.

It is pertinent to note here that Balochistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday ordered a petroleum company to halt its operations after the coastal belt became heavily polluted due to an oil spill reportedly from an underground pipeline.

Pictures showing spillage of tar and oil on the entire stretch of the coast from Mubarak Village to Churna Island went viral on social media with people calling for a clean up.

Mubarak Village,located about 30 kilometers away at Karachi’s coastline, has been home to around 4,000 people. The serene setting of the village sitting at the Arabian Sea fascinates the outsiders or those making it to the captivating beach.

‘Oil Spill Affects Marine Life’

The oil spill on the coastal belt, has started affecting marine life. According to World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan), green turtles, crabs and several types of fish have been found dead on the shore in the last two days.

A non-governmental organisation, WWF-Pakistan, which works for the protection of environment and marine life has expressed suspicion over the presence of thick oil in sea and at the beach.

According to a spokesperson of the NGO, oil can be seen spreading from Mubarak Village to Manorah over the last two days.