SELANGOR must intervene and address pollution in Sg Buloh amid conflicting reports by agencies on the problem, Bukit Melawati assemblyman Juwairiya Zulkifli said.

She has raised the issue at the district committee action meeting involving the Kuala Selangor Municipal Council (MDKS) and other relevant authorities.

“The issue has not been solved until today. The same answer ‘we will investigate’ is always given,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

“The relevant departments must take this matter seriously and the state government has to play a role. We cannot afford to have another incident like Sg Kim Kim in Johor where an emergency was declared.”

Fishermen in Jeram are the latest to complain about pollution in the 42km river, which begins in Gombak and ends in Kuala Selangor. The water is black with a foul odour after it passes an industrial area at Batu 22 of Ijok. 

The Malaysian Insight saw that this is indeed the case after the river flows past the Ijok industrial area.

Juwairiya said she has written to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the Department of Environment (DoE) in February on the pollution.

She was surprised when both departments returned with conflicting reports.

“The DID report admits that the black and odorous river water is caused by pollution from around the Ijok industrial area and also the Alam Jaya industrial area.

“They investigated and confirmed the presence of pollution and have asked for enforcement action to be taken against the owner of the premises identified as the source of pollution.

“However, the DOE branch in Sabak Bernam said the water was murky but did not find effluents in the river.

“If DID could go down to the ground to investigate and find evidence of pollution, how come DoE says otherwise?”

Another department, which she did not name, also identified the source of pollution from agricultural activities at Kg Api-Api.

“This is also confusing because the river was already polluted before the farm began operations.

“Based on these contradictory statements, I will ask the state to look at it more seriously. We need to take action.”

If the state government does not act, she plans to set up a special committee to address the pollution.

Meanwhile, MDKS president Rahilah Rahmat said the council is aware of public complaints about water quality in Sg Buloh and it has taken some action.

“In 2018 until May 2019, the council issued 19 notices and eight compounds against nearby industrial factories operating as well those as potentially contributing to river pollution.

“Periodic monitoring, such as integrated operations with other departments and agencies, is carried out as set out in the special monitoring schedule of factories in identified zones,” she said.

Factory owners are required to install industrial effluent treatment systems so that waste discharge adhered to permitted amounts under specified by the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 on treating wastewater before release to the public drainage system.

“Failure to comply with these regulations make the factory owner liable to a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or  imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both,” Rahilah said.

She also urged the public to immediately report to MDKS or the DoE any sign of pollution in the river. – June 10, 2019.