Need for clear policies on environment
FOR the second time in five years, the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) was stumped for answers when confronted with dead fish floating in a waterway under its jurisdiction.
Wide media coverage, as always, recorded promises and hope of "getting to the bottom of things" and setting things straight.
Somehow the matter takes on a fuzzy image as fingers have been pointed at various Government agencies.
The sightings were, nevertheless, grim reminders of the deteriorating state of the environment and Petaling Jaya, which already records the highest number of pollution cases in the Kiang Valley, has little choice but to sit up and take notice.
Two years ago, a factory executive found part of Sungai Penchala coated with a layer of oil and dead fish and iguanas floating on it.
Apart from lip service and expressing concern, the matter received no further attention from the authority.
Last week's discovery of dead fish did not sound an alarm as the public’s expectations of the council’s capabilities in tackling the issue were low.
The MPPJ called in the Department of Environment (DOE) over the death of fish at a former mining pool and a monsoon drain leading into it near Jalan SS7/3A in Kelana Jaya last week.
MPPJ councillor Datuk Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas had rightly said it was important for the department to determine the cause of the deaths as there was a possibility that toxic waste was present.
With the pool being surrounded by squatter settlements and factories, the question one would ask now is how high is the toxic content.
By the same token, it is also important to know the oxygen level in the water.
In the case of Sungai Penchala, the level was too low to even sustain aquatic life.
It is hoped that this time, the council will be more sensitive to the killing of marine life and act promptly.
Let us hope that the new environment unit will be able to spring into action and bring offenders to book.
Megat Najmuddin’s fears about the sighting of the dead fish are not unfounded as the ex-mining pool will soon be turned into a residents’ attraction.
MPPJ should be more assertive in making the industrial sector aware that it does not permit any form of environmental degradation.
Unless and until they tidy up their solid waste management practices, the council should be firm in delaying the renewal of their operating licence.
Those who contravened the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 1989, should be blacklisted by the council and barred from carrying out any activity in the township.
Before MPPJ embarks on efforts to "resuscitate" Sungai Penchala into a model river and later do the same to Sungai Kampung Ara, it must be clear in its aspirations and goals pertaining to the environment.
It should not adopt ad hoc policies.
Source : The New Straits Times 05 April 1995
Recycling Point Dot Com
(C) 2000 All Rights Reserved