Over 24,000 litres of diesel and petrol that flowed into the Charar Drain after an oil tanker overturned on the Ring Road Bhatta Chowk Interchange late on Thursday night, continues to pose a fire hazard to the residents settled in houses around the Malikpur Road parallel to the drain, 24 hours after the oil spill.
The spilled oil, slowly creeping through the clogged drain, will flow through residential colonies including Green Avenue Housing Scheme, Gohawa, Khuda Bux Colony, Punjab Small Industries Colony, DHA Phase 2, DHA Phase 5 and cross the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), before it makes its way into the Hudiara Drain in what is expected to take at least 2-3 more days.
Fire breaks out: Around 4pm on Friday, a fire broke out in the Charar Drain, two bridges from the main oil spill. Eye-witnesses said the fire spread rapidly but was contained by plant overgrowth within the drain. Fire brigades arrived and put out the fire. Rescue officials were putting sand and water on the burning fuel to ease its temperature. Meanwhile, a small fire broke out on a WAPDA transformer around 5.15pm, which was also immediately put out.
Speaking to Pakistan Today at the site, Fire Brigade official Inamat Ullah said, “We have stationed two fire brigades here until the oil clears. Two other fire brigades are putting out the fire that broke here. We are still trying to contain it.” Asked about the details of the oil spill, he said, “Last night (Thursday), an oil tanker overturned on Ring Road. It was carrying 12,000 litres of petrol and 12,000 litres of diesel. We expect the petrol to have evaporated. But the diesel will take time to flow out.” Asked how long the oil will take to clear, he said, “It should take two-three days. The only way is for the spilled oil to flow into the Hudiara drain.”
No plan to deal with oil spills: Residents of the colonies around the oil-infested Charar Drain expressed concern over the fire threat posed by the oil and blamed the Cantonment Board for lack of action before the fire broke out and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for faulty design of the Lahore Ring Road section. Speaking to Pakistan Today, Green Town resident Masood Ahmed said, “The inefficiency of officials is clear. The oil has yet to cross the first kilometer track of the drain 16 hours after the oil spill. Is there no plan to deal with oil spills in drains?”
The oil spilled into a monsoon-drain built to drain rainwater from the Ring Road into the Charar Drain. Pakistan Today observed that oil still filled the 200-metre monsoon drain and had yet to cross the first 500 metres after entering the main Charar Drain. Residents of neighbouring communities were also seen bottling up oil floating on the surface of both drains.
No estimate of time:Speaking to Pakistan Today, Environment Protection Agency (EPA) officer Kamran said the EPA was unaware of the oil spill but it had conducted a survey of the Charar Drain in 2011 in which they had recommended that the Irrigation Department clear vegetation growth in the drain and line the drain with bricks. He said the discharge of the drain was 72 cusecs but this was not an indicator of the time it would take for the oil to be discharged. He said, “Oil floats at the surface since it is not a solvent and would take more time since it clings to any obstructions in the drain, especially the vegetation.” With respect to the time it would take, he said, “There can be no estimate. 24,000 litres is a lot of oil.”
