CAP ASKS WHO POLLUTED SUNGAI DINGIN

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urged the Kedah state government and the Department of Environment (DOE) to conduct a thorough investigation and to publicly disclose the findings on the real causes of pollution of the Sungai Dingin near Serdang recently.

CAP is disappointed that although this river has been polluted for the past eight years but until now the source of pollution has yet to be identified by the authorities.

Commenting on a news report by Sinar Harian dated March 26, 2015 regarding the anxiety expressed by residents in three villages affected by the pollution, CAP has also requested the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to assist the DOE to investigate the source of toxic waste that has polluted the river water and causing the death of fish.

The affected villages are Kampung Sungai Buluh, Kampung Dingin and Kampung Sungai Tengas. People here claimed that the river water in their village has become black, silted and stinks.

CAP is surprised and questioned why the factory that DOE denies has been discharging effluents that is polluting the river has been instructed to clean the drains near the factory. CAP wants the DOE to answer this question and clarify which party is guilty of polluting the river. This must be substantiated with reports of analysis of water sample and dead fish taken from the polluted river.

CAP is concerned and believes that if problems like these are allowed to persist not only the environment will be severely polluted, even life and health of the villagers here would be threatened more seriously in the future.

CAP hopes the DOE takes this matter seriously and enforces the Environmental Quality Act 1974 stringently without giving any leeway to any party who violates the regulations under the Act.

Press Statement,  1st April 2015