The environment department on Thursday report submitted in Sindh High Court disclosed presence of dangerous chemicals at Karachi Port in Ali Muhammad Goth mystery deaths hearing. A police report, prepared in the light of the Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) probe, submitted in the high court.

“The SEPA team witnessed smoke on February 17 at KPT Terminals 15 and 16,” according to the report. “Unhygienic imported raw material was being dumped at those terminals,” police stated in its report. “Dangerous chemicals were found at containers parked at terminals for long time,” according to report.

“The air quality in the area has worsened by a rating from 2.5 to 10,” the report said. “Prevalence of tiny particles in the area posing threat to the population”. “It is responsibility of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to ensure complete enforcement of the environment laws. The port authority has failed to ensure improvement of the environment and air quality,” according to report.

“The residents are being affected from poisonous and lethal gases owing to the negligence of the KPT,” report stated. “The air quality found to be extremely dangerous for human health and the environment,” according to report. “The reports of tests will point out the cause of deaths. The families of deceased don’t want any legal proceedings in the matter,” the police concluded in its report.

It is to be mentioned here that, ahead of recent deaths in Ali Muhammad Goth, at least 14 deaths had been reported in February 2020, whereas more than 300 patients complained having breathing problem in Keamari port area and hospitalized amid offloading of a consignment of soybean cargo from a ship.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP