Pencemaran sungai dekat Jelebu harus ditangani segera / Tackle river pollution near Jelebu immediately

[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP) menggesa Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) Negeri Sembilan mengambil tindakan tegas ke atas pihak yang melakukan pencemaran menyebabkan air Sungai Marong berhampiran Kampung Lakai dekat Jelebu di Negeri Sembilan menjadi hitam dan berbuih.

Mengulas laporan akhbar Berita Harian bertarikh 3 April mengenai kejadian ini, CAP kesal kerana kejadian tersebut turut menyebabkan ikan di dalam sungai berkenaan mati.

Menurut ketua daerah Perikanan Jelebu, Mohd Azhar Jusoh, berikutan aduan yang diterima oleh nelayan tempatan mengenai masalah ini, Jabatan Perikanan telah menyiasat aduan tersebut dan mendapati kejadian itu benar berlaku di mana air sungai berkenaan hitam dan berbuih.

Justeru itu CAP meminta JAS menjalankan siasatan secara menyeluruh bagi mengenal pasti pihak yang melakukan pencemaran itu serta mengambil tindakan tegas dengan mengenakan hukuman berat di bawah Akta Kualiti Alam Sekeliling 1974 ke atas pihak terbabit.

JAS dan Jabatan Perikanan perlu mendedahkan hasil kajian ke atas bangkai ikan dan kualiti air sungai yang diuji kepada umum dengan secepat mungkin dan apakah tindakan yang diambil bagi mengatasinya.

CAP bimbang jika masalah ini berlarutan ia bukan saja menjejaskan sumber pendapatan nelayan tempatan yang bergantung hidup kepada hasil tangkapan di dalam sungai itu tetapi juga kesihatan orang ramai yang mungkin termakan ikan yang mengandungi racun dari sungai berkenaan.

CAP yang bersimpati dengan nelayan-nelayan yang terjejas sumber pendapatan akibat kejadian ini diberi pampasan yang setimpal dengan kemerosotan hasil tangkapan yang mereka alami.

CAP berharap kejadian ini tidak berulang kerana ia memberi kesan amat buruk ke atas alam sekitar dan kehidupan rakyat. – CAP

English version

CAP urges immediate action on Sungai Marong, Jelebu pollution

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Department of Environment (DoE) of Negeri Sembilan to take firm action against those responsible for the pollution that has caused the water of Marong River near Kampung Lakai in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan to turn black and foamy.

Commenting on the 3 April Berita Harian newspaper report about the incident, CAP expressed regret that it has also caused the deaths of fish in the river.

According to the district officer of Jelebu Fisheries, Mohd Azhar Jusoh, following complaints received from local fishermen regarding this issue, the Department of Fisheries investigated the complaint and found that the incident did indeed occur, with the river water turning black and foamy.

CAP therefor calls on the DoE to conduct a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the pollution and to take firm action by imposing heavy penalties under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 on the parties involved.

The DoE and the Fisheries Department should promptly disclose the results of the study on fish carcasses and the tested river water quality to the public as soon as possible, as well as the actions taken to address the issue.

CAP is concerned that if this problem persists, it will not only affect the source of income of local fishermen who rely on the river’s catch for their livelihood, but also pose risks to public health, as people may consume fish contaminated with toxins from the river.

CAP sympathises with the fishermen affected by the loss of income due to this incident and calls for a fair compensation in line with the decline in their catch.

CAP hopes that this incident does not recur as it has a very detrimental impact on the environment and the lives of the people. – CAP

Mohideen Abdul Kader is the president of the Consumers’ Association of Penang.