ISKANDAR PUTERI – The Johor Environment Department (DoE) received 140 complaints on river pollution from January to last month, said state Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyanathan.
He said all the complaints were investigated and action taken against those found to have violated the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
These include the issuance of compounds, warning notices and stop-work orders, as well as taking to court businesses that failed to comply with regulations.
“Among the types of pollution detected was domestic/solid waste, and activities related to construction sites, river sand mining/dredging, farm pesticide/fertilisation, poultry farm, industrial/workshop and urbanisation.
“Others, like sewage (from plants/housing/industry), fishing activities (fish poisoning), oil/chemical spills, and leachate from landfills, are also major factors of river pollution in Johor,” Vidyanathan told the state assembly today.
He was replying to a question by Ee Chin Li (PH-Tangkak) on the action taken by DoE to address issues related to rivers, river pollution, drains and drainage.
Vidyananthan, who is also Kahang assemblyman, said the state DoE regularly monitors the water quality of the state’s major rivers, which are a source of raw water for treatment plants.
“Beginning this year, the Johor DoE has enhanced its enforcement programme via Op Gempur to conduct checks on factories categorised as problematic statewide, as well as in areas of focus like Pasir Gudang.”
He said not all of the state’s 399 rivers are monitored in detail by DoE, with the department focusing on 23 basins comprising 126 rivers. – Bernama, November 29, 2020
