KUALA LUMPUR – The Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) closed an illegal landfill that has been the cause of odour pollution in Bandar Mahkota Cheras on May 31.
Environment Department (DoE) director-general Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar, in a statement yesterday, said the case has been handed over to MPKj and the Hulu Langat Land and District Office for action under the jurisdiction of the agency.
He said Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming, MPKj council members as well as Selangor Water Management Authority, DoE and the Hulu Langat Land and District Office representatives also joined the operation to close the landfill, which was an illegal dumping ground for construction materials and domestic waste.
“The reservoir water was found to be black, with a bad odour and was filled with garbage. Tests on the quality of reservoir water found that it was alkaline with low oxygen levels due to domestic waste disposal activities,” he said.
Latiff said the construction waste and domestic waste disposal activities are subject to Section 34A, Environmental Quality Act 1974 for the Second Schedule of Activity 14: Waste Treatment and Disposal, Environmental Quality Order (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) 2015.
He said, therefore, action would be taken for carrying out such activity, which was an offence for not having the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report.
Latiff thanked the public for providing information regarding the incident and urged them to continue reporting pollution activities that affect the environment via its 24-hour, toll-free line at 1-800-88-2727 or to email complaints to [email protected] or through its DOE e-complaint portal. – Bernama, June 3, 2022
