Most oil spill at Mubarak Village cleared in ‘clean-up’, says PMSA

KARACHI: Five days after oil spill was reported at scenic Mubarak Village coast, the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) says the most of the oil spill affecting the beach has been cleared in an ongoing operation being taken up by a number of stakeholders.

“Seventy per cent of the affected area has been cleaned up in Mubarak village on the second consecutive day of operation which will continue tomorrow (Monday),” said a PMSA statement. release.

It also stated that the PSMA also conducted an aerial surveillance on Sunday and found a minor oil slick close to the Cape Monze coast.

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“The information was passed on to the beach cleaning team. The Karachi Port Trust is tasked to undertake initial assessment of the oil spill/traces, if any, at the Sandspit and Hawkesbay beaches,” it said.

The PMSA spokesperson stated that a committee was being set up to analyse facts on the ground and ascertain the source of oil spill.

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 certainly fascinates the outsiders or those making it to the captivating beach.

According to reports, the spill was first spotted and reported by local fisherman who works with local fishing communities at Abdul Rehman Goth. “We are also getting conflicting reports as some people think it may be due to a leak in an underwater pipeline while others say that it all came from a passing vessel,” says Usman Iqbal added.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Balochistan, has also placed a ban on people visiting Churna Island, a popular scuba-diving spot for visitors, through tour operators.

Churna Island falls under the remit of Lasbela district on the Balochistan-Sindh border. The ban was imposed under the Environment Act of 2012.

According to a notification, the EPA barred tour operators from providing services to customers without obtaining NOC from the provincial Environment Department.