What’s that pungent smell in Karachi’s Moach Goth that has reportedly caused 18 mysterious deaths over the past sixteen days? The victims are said to have inhaled poisonous gas coming out of industries located in the residential area.

Revealing the possible cause of the deaths, environmental analyst, Saqib Ejaz told Aaj News that it was because of the factories smelting lead and battery plastic and also treating acid. “Such factories have been working in the Moach Goth area for a long time,” he added.

“Treating lead and battery plastic is a very dangerous process. Its smoke particles enter the bloodstream through the air,” Ijaz said and added that the deaths were due to improper treatment of hazardous material.

He said that the investigation report would confirm the presence of lead and battery plastics in the air, adding that Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) was not fulfilling its responsibility.

“Several children and adults have died in one week according to the residents. The children first had a sore throat and then pneumonia,” Kemari district Deputy Commissioner Mukhtar Ali Abro told Aaj News earlier in the day.

The victims, which included people of all ages, had initial symptoms of fever, sore throat, and shortness of breath, the investigation revealed, prompting Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to take notice of the deaths.

The victims died within five to seven days of the onset of the illness. They had no rashes or conjunctivitis, the health department said. The affected people complained of a severely irritating smell in the air.

They claimed that two factories were constructed within their village and were creating a very “foul smell and suffocation,” leading to severe irritation in the throat.

Murad has sought separate reports from the Karachi commissioner, health director general and the labour department. Moreover, the labour ministry, industries ministry, and district administration have been directed to conduct inquiries.

The CM wondered about the type of factories that were emitting gases injurious to health. “Has anyone conducted an inspection of these factories,” the chief minister asked and ordered the labour department to collect samples of the gas for lab tests.

The initial investigation report, which started after three factories were sealed, revealed that the suspected cause of the sudden deaths includes the emission of gasses from the nearby plastic/oil and the newly established factory deriving Iron ore from rocks. Post Measles Complications may also be the leading cause of the reported deaths, it added.

“The cause of these deaths is some chemicals which are developing interstitial lung disease,” said the report. Medical camps for the treatment of pneumonia have been established in the area.

At least 25 children among the total 71 were examined at the medical camps in the Kemari area on Friday, the health department said. Four out of them were sent to hospitals.

Emission of gasses from nearby plastic/oil factories was suspected to be the prime cause of deaths, it said, adding that the factory deriving iron ore from rocks was causing measles complications.

It is expected that the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) would release its report today (Saturday).

Action carried out so far:

• Factories in the residential area of the village are sealed through the District Administration.

• Media is briefed after a combined field visit by DC, DHO, DHSK & Environment Department carried out.

• The nearby Health Facility in the Mawach Goth has been put on Alert and equipped with all the essential medicine and other supplies to provide all the necessary treatment to patients visiting the OPDs.

• A round-the-clock camp established in the affected area providing medical services to the affectees.

• Sufficient Medical Staff provided for the camps and field activities through Director General Health Services, Sindh & Director Health Services Karachi (DHSK)

• Ensuring all essential medical supplies for the camp & health facilities through DHO & DHSK.

• Round the clock availability of ambulance service.

• Referral arrangement ensured by DHO & DHSK with nearby private Tertiary Hospital, Murshid & Ruth K.M.Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, on providing treatment & admission in isolation ward / ICUs if needed.

• Random samples for suspected Measles have been collected and sent to NIH

• A mobile X-Ray Van with TB specimen collection has also been arranged in the area.

• Covid sampling is also being carried out.

• Health Education Officers of Karachi are mobilized and deputed to report DHO Kemari and schedule/ conduct awareness sessions among the community with the support of LHS & LHWs.

• An Epidemiology team of FELTP Fellows deputed in the district/area through DG Health, Sindh to investigate the exact cause of the incidence and collect detailed in-depth information about the deceased.

• A team from Environment, Climate Change & Coastal Development is also requested to be on board and play their role to detect the possible cause of sudden deaths in the area.

• Dr. Sumaya, Police Surgeon on board to further investigate the cause of death if reported in the future through carrying out a post-mortem.

Where is the gas coming from?

The assistant commissioner in a letter to the DC said that the smelly smoke was emerging from unauthorized plastic factories constructed in the residential area of the village.

The police have claimed to have sealed four big plastic and stone factories and arrested the owner Khair Muhammad. Moreover, four workers were arrested from the factories.

The Kemari deputy commissioner was of the view that deaths occurred due to the release of injurious gases.

District Health Officer Dr Arifur Rehman, who was sent to the area to investigate, said this was a problem of environmental pollution. The government has taken samples for tests.

Local notable Maula Bux Khoso alleged that police did not take any action against the smoke-emitting factories when people went to them after the deaths because of the symptoms.

The assistant commissioner’s letter said that the health department members were affected by the poisonous gases. It has requested that the Environmental Protection Agency Sindh Karachi must be moved to get samples that cause air pollution.

The sight of Ali Muhammad Goth, Moach Goth was still dismal on Friday as people were protesting in the area. They demanded a complete shutdown of such factories.

The companies burn plastics and they burn it the whole night and its smoke was very painful for the area’s children, one of the protesters told Aaj News.

Speaking about the lamentable situation, he claimed that the particles of such air also mix with their food and water. “When our children eat and drink this they lose their lives,” he said as he tried to control his tears.

The affected person said that it took 18 lives for the police and media to reach out to them. He claimed that still 30 to 35 of their members were at home in the same condition.

“They don’t allow us when we visit the hospital and ask us to bring money. Now how can a poor person bring money? We don’t have money to eat,” he said.