THE grassroots environmental group Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) today urged state authorities to scrutinise factories and buildings that have set up shop near rivers to prevent repeated incidences of water pollution.

Field researcher Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said the re-zoning of factories and buildings near rivers in every state should be done – not only in Selangor – so that waste is no longer discharged directly into the river.

“It is a preventive measure before the issue of pollution at Sg Selangor recurs.

“While (waiting for) existing laws and regulations to be enhanced or amended, the relevant agencies can still take action under existing laws by asking any factory that violates the explicit conditions of land use as stated in the title of the property to move or demolish their buildings,” he said today.

He was commenting on the water supply disruption in Selangor a few days ago as the Sg Selangor Phase 1, 2, 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants were shut down due to pollution caused by factory activities near the plant’s water source.

Commenting further, Meor Razak said enforcement action can be taken under the National Land Code, where if there are factories or industries that violate land use conditions by carrying out activities outside the conditions set out in their respective grants, their premises can be demolished.

He gave an example where a grant owner converts a factory originally meant for industrial use into a workshop producing waste in the form of oil that is dumped into the river, which subsequently causes pollution.

“When this pollution occurs, agencies at the federal level such as the Department of Environment (DoE) can take action – when irresponsible parties release waste into inland water bodies – under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655).”

Meor Razak is of the view that increasing the penalty from RM500,000 to RM1 million is a good move, but one that far from sufficient. The role of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) needs to be relooked into. It should not just serve as implementing agency that manages water bodies, but be given the role of providing enforcement, he added.

Currently, when there are offences related to river pollution in particular, DID does not have the authority to take action.

Meanwhile, water quality expert Dr Zaki Zainudin yesterday urged state governments to issue a list outlining high risk industries that should not be situated near surface water intake areas. This was to serve as a reference to all agencies involved in preventing the pollution of water sources.

He said the state authority, which is responsible for water management, should create the list so that it can be used as a directive for state and federal agencies.

Yesterday, Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said his ministry would set up an environmental crime unit in the near future to address the issue of pollution. – Bernama, September 9, 2020.