Big fine for river polluters

April 1, 2009
Star

THE Department of Environment will slap a big fine next month against those caught polluting Penang’s Sungai Pinang, one of the sixth most polluted rivers in the country.

State Health, Welfare, Caring and Environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh declined to reveal the amount, saying it had not been finalised yet.

He warned polluters to think twice about committing the offence again.

“We have a list of car workshops, petrol stations and factories that discharge effluents directly into the river.

“The biggest polluter is a slaughter house,” he said when contac-ted yesterday.

Phee stressed that imposing of the fine would only be done as a last resort.

“For the whole of this month, we will spread awareness on the effects of pollution, educating the public and warning people not to throw things into the river,” he said.

He said the state government would soon meet up with owners of factories along the river bank.

“We will also talk to the people including residents to stop dum-ping discards into the river.

“They have to know that they’re the ones to be imme- diately affected by the stench and flash floods when it rains heavily,” he said.

He said the authorities would ask the slaughter house operator to work with Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd to reduce discharge into the river.

Phee said he had asked the Penang Municipal Council to use the Effective Microorganism (EM) solutions to treat the sludge inside the mud instead of merely using surface treatment.

“We’ll also increase the number of rubbish bins to enable residents to throw their trash in appropriate places.

“The river has such potential that it can be transformed into an eco-tourism spot where people can canoe and enjoy a walk along it,” he said.

Phee said the state would carry out the River Rangers programme in primary and secondary schools to educate children on pollution- related issues.

“The programme will train children to be the eyes and ears on river conditions and report them to the authority. They can also play an influential role in their families.

“We’ve received clearance from the Education Ministry and we’ll start working with the state Education Department on the programme immediately,” he said.

Plan to revive rivers on track

I don't have the confident that Sungai Pinang can be rehabilitated to Class 2 by 2015. I quote, Class 2 is clean enough for people to swim in it. No way. No way. Houses used the river as garbage dump. Raw kitchen wastes went straight into the drains and into the river. See for yourself my previous photo essay here. I hope the DID's officer is still around to swim at Sungai Pinang. I just want to see how he's going to swim.

I can't comment on Sungai Juru as I have not done any research on it. But I would think Sungai Juru could be possible due to the present of large area covered with water hyacinth and aquatic plants which acted as filter.

No way for Sungai Pinang unless they are going to put in education and more regulations.

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Monday November 10, 2008
Staronline

PENANG is confident of rehabilitating its former dead rivers — Sungai Pinang and Sungai Juru — from Class 5 to Class 2 by 2015.

Class 5 has been classified as the most polluted with no marine life while Class 2 is clean enough for people to swim in it.

State Drainage and Irrigation Department director (DID) Hanapi Mohamad Noor said both rivers had been under rehabilitation for the last 10 years. They were under Class 5 and are now at Class Three, a stage allowing fish to survive in the rivers.

“Apart from increasing enforcement against polluters as well as public awareness, the department spends about RM100,000 annually to clean up each river,” he said at an environment awareness programme opening at the Sungai Juru water catchment area in Butterworth recently.

Hanapi said the department was presently preparing a master plan to rehabilitate Sungai Juru at the cost of RM300mil.

He said, although Sungai Pinang’s RM450mil rehabilitation master plan was ready this year, it could not be implemented due to problems in relocating some 200 squatter houses in the area.

“We hope the state government will help settle the squatter problems soon so that we can go ahead with the Sungai Pinang rehabilitation master plan under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

“The Sungai Juru master plan affects a smaller number of squatters and we hope to carry it out under the 10th Malaysia Plan,” he said.

He noted the Class 2 status for both rivers could be achieved by 2015, if all recommendations in both master plans, which included the provision of recreational facilities near the riverside, could be fulfilled.

Hanapi also said the department would spend about RM1mil in the next two years to add 100 log booms to trap rubbish in major monsoon drains leading to Sungai Pinang, Sungai Juru and Sungai Prai.

Presently, he said, there were 150 log booms placed at major river mouths throughout the state.

Deplorable Sungai Pinang

Have you taken a peep at our river lately? Well, never mind, I will show you then. I will start from Botanic Gardens until the river mouth of Sungai Pinang. Then you tell me whether we need to do something about it.....or just make don't know.

I will include google map to pinpoint the location of each picture (click on the link to see the map).

Sungai Air Terjun is one of the tributeries of Sungai Pinang. This photo-essay will only based on Sungai Air Terjun joining to Sungai Pinang until the estuary.

The first picture just outside the perimeter of Botanic Gardens taken at the Coronation camp (now a Bamboo garden).

In front of Moon Gate. Some rubbish appearing on the bank.

Background is Penang Natukottai Chettiar Waterfall Temple beside the exit of Youth Park. The river is a dumping ground.

As you enter from Jalan Utama into Youth Park, there is a well kept landscape on your left beside the Sungai Air Terjun. Yes, the small garden-cum-landscape is excellent. However, whatever rubbish, twigs and trimmings can be found beside the river bank. Who is the culprit?


Just when you think that rubbish are the product of squatters and the illiterate, I found that the rich also contribute to the problem. One of the house at Jesselton Road. Do you know that there are two pumps drawing water from the river into the race course? Is it legal?



This picture taken near the Race Course, not far from Georgetown Public Library (near Kompleks Penyayang). Bungalows (Skipton Pavilion) were built very near the river. Is it legal? Some plastic bags seen floating on the river curteousy of the foreign construction workers.


Behind the Georgetown Public Library. Ok this section was quite clean. But....see the next picture.....


A rubbish trap just before the river enters Governor's Residence. Rubbish! So I can assume that rubbish has been thrown from houses from Waterfall Road till Jesselton Road to this rubbish trap.


Clean water with no rubbish as it exit the Governor's Residence. The spotted whites in the picture were leaves. A contractor (to water street plants) was seen pumping water to his mini lorry at this vicinity.


Between Jalan Ross and Jalan York, a guy was seen catching fish. A bungalow being built right to the edge of the river. Is there no law on building bungalow on river banks?


Rubbish all over the river - near the Naduthurai Sri Devi Karumariamman Temple (off Air Itam Road / York Road). Just upstream, a local was seen washing clothes.


So far you have seen the Sungai Air Terjun with clear water. But rubbish continued to be thrown into the river from the squatters (who have been living there for years) around. I don't see any rubbish dump and that could be the reason why they disposed into the river.


The confluence of Sungai Pinang and Sungai Air Terjun at the famous location called dobi. Sungai Air Terjun disappears into dark polluted water. Bottom right is Sungai Air Terjun.

Somewhere between Jalan Langkawi and Jalan Gopeng off Jalan Air Itam.


Squatters discharging rubbish near city stadium.

Lorong Kulit.

Jalan Perak opposite Masjid Rawana. Kitchen waste flows into Sungai Pinang.

Squatter along the river at Kampung Sungai Pinang. On the day of my survey, a new squatter hut was being built and yet nothing to stop it.

Behind Japanese School. Probably caretaker for the school. Shame isn't it with the amount of rubbish?

Kampung Rawa - where rubbish is the decorative?

Rubbish trap at Kampung Rawa. We are actually not solving the problem by trapping rubbish at down stream. We should nip them at the source!!!

Another view of the rubbish trap at Kampung Rawa. The money to hire contractors to collect rubbish from the traps should be instead be used to collect rubbish from rubbish bins (by providing rubbish bins to all household/squatters) Nip the problem at the SOURCE!

The heavily polluted drain beside Sungai Pinang Tamil School that flows into Sungai Pinang.

Rubbish trap at the polluted drain.

Rubbish below the bridge of Jelutong expressway. Look at the water - as black as charcoal. No fish can survive here.

It was high tide at the estuary. The sea brought in clear sea water. Rubbish can be seen. If you observe the google map, the esplanade has not been built yet.


What we should do to save our river:-

1. No squatter and building along river reserves - action by JPS.

2. Fine the squatter and building owners that has rubbish near their houses - action by JPS and MPPP.

3. All kitchen wastes should be treated before discharging into the river - action MPPP.

4. Demolish all newly built squatters and houses along river reserves - action JPS.

5. Appoint River Rangers (community leader from the locality) to monitor and upkeep the river banks and cleanliness - action JPS/MPPP.

and YOU to help
PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR RIVER!
WATER IS LIFE!