KUALA LUMPUR – The Perak government is taken to task for allowing sand removal and development of a steel factory in Pantai Pasir Panjang – an area known to be a turtle habitat.
Hulu Kinta assemblyman Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad has raised concerns over possible harmful industrial activities being carried out in a location marked as Category 1 Environmentally Sensitive Area under the National Physical Plan (NPP).
This comes after Maegma Minerals Sdn Bhd was given the approval for sand mining and to develop a steel factory there.
How come the area is now characterised as industrial land when the NPP classified it as a Category 1 Environmentally Sensitive Area? And there is no basis to assert that the planned activities will not harm the environment.”
He said any activities to replace or remove sand will change the nature of the area, causing it to be unsuitable for turtle landings.
“I urge the government to investigate the matter to determine how this oversight resulted in approvals that contravened the NPP.
“I hope the state and federal governments will ensure there are no contradictions that involve the environment so such issues will not happen again.”
Meanwhile, Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said industrial activities should not occur in the area and it is the only turtle landing area in Perak.
“When land is characterised as Category 1 Environmentally Sensitive Area, agricultural development and logging are not allowed.
“They only allow low-impact eco-tourism activities such as jungle trekking, as well as education and research only,” he told The Vibes.
Although the land in question might be privately owned or even categorised as industrial, Meor said the conditions for Category 1 Environmentally Sensitive Areas still apply.
“This is why we urge the state government to gazette the land as a protected area. Otherwise, it will be a concern that more parties will try to develop the area in the future.”
Last week, Maegma Minerals, which owns the land in question, said all regulations would be complied with while undertaking works there.
It added that any activities that would take place had been approved by necessary authorities.
“The development of a steel factory will contribute to the nation’s economy and that the removal of sand is done to prepare the land and prevent illegal encroachment.” – The Vibes, January 15, 2022
