By Jerry Choong
SHAH ALAM, Oct 20 — The cause of the recent pollution of Sungai Remok in Hulu Selangor has been traced back to groundworks activity on proprietary land, said state exco for tourism and the environment Hee Loy Sian.
He said although the development project had approval from the Hulu Selangor District Council, for the purpose of growing vegetables together with a temporary greenhouse structure, the project did not have approval for a groundworks plan.
“A compound was issued under Section 70A(1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, for carrying out works without authorisation,” Hee said in a statement.
Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), which carried out the investigation, also discovered the main source of pollution was caused by a resevoir situated less than a kilometre from the river, which flowed directly into Sungai Remok.
“LUAS’ sampling at the location discovered its nephelometric turbidity unit to be 20, and the total suspended solid to be 18 miligrammes per litre, under ordinary circumstances without rain.
“Nonetheless the exposed surface area of the groundworks brings about the risk of high turbidity during heavy rainfall, if no steps are taken for sediment control as well as the installation of efficient slit traps,” he said.
Hee added the state agency has issued a Water Protection Order based on Section 122(1) of the LUAS Enactment 1999, ordering them to cease any release of contanimants into Sungai Remok, and to prepare steps for efficient sediment and slit pollution control, following the risk to the water’s quantity and quality affected by turbidity.
“Failure to comply with this order, if found guilty, will subject the offender to a fine of no more than RM5,000, imprisonment of no more than a year, or both. The subsequent penalty is a fine of no more than RM3,000 a day, for each day the offence remains unaddressed.
“Similarly the estimated distance pollution source’s location to the nearest inlet, namely the Batang Kali water treatment plant, is 5.15 KM. No stoppage of plant’s operations was reported,” he said.
The issue was first raised on October 17, when Pertubuhan Kebajikan Warga Desa Hulu Selangor committee member Amir Fairizat Sayuti said the river frequently became murky when heavy rainfall occurred.
