Keamari deaths cause remains obscure: police

Report stated that hazardous imported raw materials were being unloaded at these terminals when the incident occurred

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed police to submit a report on the 15 deaths that took place in Keamari in 2020 allegedly by inhaling toxic dust.

During the hearing of the case of 18 'similarly mysterious' deaths in the Ali Muhamamd Goth area of Keamari in January this year, the representative of Karachi police said that the cause of deaths of the 15 people who died in February 2020 was yet to be confirmed.

Police told the court that the heirs of the victims of the 2020 incident were against post-mortem due to which the cause of death couldn't be ascertained in any of the 15 cases.

They presented a report prepared in light of Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) findings, which stated that haze was observed at KPT terminals 15 and 16 at Eastern Wharf on February 17, 2020. At least 14 people died and dozens were rushed to hospitals in Keamari area on those days. One person died later.

The report stated that hazardous imported raw materials were being unloaded at these terminals when the incident took place

The report stated that air quality in the area deteriorated due to hazardous raw materials and soybean dust. The research found the air quality to be harmful, with fine particles of soybean dust besides toxic fumes posed risk to the population.

Police said that it was the Karachi Port Trust's responsibility implement environmental laws. People working at the port and residents of nearby areas were exposed to poisonous and dangerous fumes and gases emitting from hazardous cargoes due to negligence of KPT.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2023.