Keamari toxic gas leakage: SHC seeks reply from federal, Sindh governments over deaths

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday served notices to the federal and Sindh governments over deaths due to toxic gas leakage in Kemari. A constitutional petition filed by resident of Karachi, states that toxic gas leakage in Kemari claimed as many as 14 lives, but no one is accepting the responsibility.

"Investigation should be ordered to unveil the negligence and compensation should be paid to heirs of the victims", the plea reads.

The SHC maintaining the plea, served notices to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) authorities, federal government, Sindh government and Sindh Environmental Agency.

The aforesaid respondents have been asked to submit their response till March 11.

At least 14 people from different parts of Keamari died and over 400 were taken to hospitals for treatment reportedly after inhaling toxic gas that leaked from a soybean ship at the KPT.

Last week, the soybean carrying vessel, Hercules blamed for the toxic gas in Karachi was successfully made its way to Port Qasim from Kemari, sources privy to the development said.

The University of Karachi's International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) in a report had pointed to "overexposure" to "soybean dust" as the probable cause of the gas leakage incident in Kemari.

The ICCBS said samples of blood and urine of the people exposed to toxic aerosols were sent to it, while some samples of soybean dust were also collected from the port area.

We think the cause of deaths may be due to over exposure to soybean dust," the ICCBS said in its report.