BUKIT MERTAJAM – The Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) now has a plan to help curb indiscriminate dumping and littering with better surveillance and waste management system.
MBSP president Datuk Rozali Mohamud said it is planning to install more mobile closed circuit cameras and enhanced surveillance at suspected illegal dumping grounds.
He also did not discount the use of surveillance drones, saying the plan will be studied.
“We are restructuring the waste management system with modern evacuation stations and waste transfer centres. We will also ensure that waste disposal transporting trailers, waste disposal contractors and manufacturers comply with their licensing conditions.”
Rozali said the number of illegal dumping grounds have been increasing of late.
“We wanted to engage our security and community division that consist of auxiliary police and traffic wardens in the fight against illegal dumping, which is an offence under the environmental law.
“We don’t want the culprits to threaten our enforcement officers as their safety is also at risk,” he said in an online media conference.
This comes after an incident last week at Mengkuang near here, where a lorry driver threatened MBSP enforcement officers when they caught him trying to discard undisclosed waste materials.
Mengkuang Dam, which provides water to Seberang Prai, has been sealed off due to the incident.
Rozali said MBSP had lodged a police report at the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters in Bandar Perda.
Offenders can be prosecuted under the Garbage Collection, Disposal and Disposal By-Laws, MBSP 1994 for illegal dumping.
An offender who threatens an enforcement officer can be charged under Section 112, of the Local Government Act 1976 for preventing civil servants from carrying out their duties and will face a maximum fine of RM2,000. – The Vibes, November 1, 2020
