Oil pipeline bursts in DHA, thousands of litres of diesel gush out.

KARACHI -- An oil pipeline leakage was reported in Defence Housing Authority's (DHA) Khayaban-i-Sehar on Thursday, near dozens of homes and a college causing groundwater pollution and inconvenience to residents, officials and sources said.

A statement issued by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) said the rupture of six-inch diameter pipeline of National Refinery Limited (NRL) led to flow of thousands of litres diesel into the adjoining areas.

'A pipeline of NRL leading from Keamari to Korangi Industrial Area at its plant was burst at Khayaban-i-Sehar area of Defence Phase-VI at nearly 4am ... causing groundwater pollution and inconvenience to residents,' it said. 'According to a conservative estimate nearly 50 to 60 thousand litre diesel prima facie leaked from the pipeline. On the directives of Advisor to CM Sindh on Law, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Barrister Murtuza Wahab a technical team of Sepa headed by Deputy Director South Abdullah Magsi reached at the place of incident and monitored the situation.'

The fresh episode came as a grim reminder of the March 2012 incident in the same area when the same pipeline had burst, creating difficulties for the residents and the authorities. Though there was no word from officials of the refinery and the...