BESUT – River pollution in Terengganu is still under control and the cleanliness level of 729 rivers in the state is also satisfactory, said state Infrastructure, Public Facilities, Utilities and Green Technology Committee chairman Mamad Puteh.
However, he said the situation should not be taken for granted, and called on all parties to continue protecting the rivers.
“So far, we have not received any reports about the rivers in the state, including those utilised as sources of water, as being badly polluted. In fact, most are found to be clean and there are few at moderate levels.
“But sometimes we find a small number of people who purposely throw rubbish into the rivers or channels. We also find restaurant operators who flush their sewage into rivers, and this will certainly damage the quality of the river water," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after officiating the state-level World Rivers Day (WRD) programme at Sg Dendong near here.
Terengganu Irrigation and Drainage Department director Hanizan Deraman was also present.
Mamad said the WRD celebration was held to raise awareness of the importance to keep rivers clean and to foster the spirit of shared responsibility between the government and the people in ensuring the river and its environment remain sustainable
He added that Terengganu had the Terengganu Water Resources Board, which is responsible for the protection of water resources through monitoring and enforcement.
“The board plays an important role in ensuring that those involved in industrial and mining activities do not discharge their waste directly into the river,” he said.
The Besut district has the largest number of rivers in the state at 264, spanning 1,168.07km followed by Setiu with 160 rivers (900.73km); Dungun with 88 rivers (875.10km); Kuala Terengganu with 85 rivers (420.43km); Hulu Terengganu with 51 rivers (605km); Kemaman with 48 rivers (666.5km) and Marang with 34 rivers (251.06km). – Bernama, August 28, 2022
