More than 30 kilometres of Jalan Pintasan Kuantan (Kuantan bypass) heading to the port have been cleaned of bauxite waste within a week since the operation began.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director, Morni Mamat said the route covered Kampung Padang in Bukit Goh up to the Gebeng Industrial Area, here.

"The distance of the area left to be cleaned up is 15 kilometres and after this, we will go back to Bukit Goh to clean up the road in the opposite direction," he told Bernama when contacted, here, on Thursday.

Morni said the cleaning-up operation was being carried out daily from 8 am to 2 pm since it began on Jan 14.

This is being done with the cooperation of the Kuantan Municipal Council, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) and Penor Prison, to complete the work earlier than the one-month period given.

On certain quarters disputing the department's involvement in the bauxite waste cleaning-up operation, Morni said many did not know that ensuring environmental sustainability was one of the department's Performance Key Indicators (KPIs).

He said he was also surprised with their questioning the use of water to clean the areas of bauxite waste, claiming it was not the correct way and ineffective.

"I have not come across any information saying that bauxite would cause a reaction with water. In fact, lorries and cars dirtied by the bauxite dust have been cleaned with water and not with any chemical.

"It's difficult for us to please everyone. If we let it be, they say there's no action taken but when we help to clean up the bauxite-tainted areas, there are still people who are not satisfied," he added.

Pahang Department of Environment chief assistant director, Zainal Abidin Abdullah agreed with the cleaning mechanism used by the state Fire and Rescue Department.

"If the road have drains, the water used in the cleaning operation will carry the bauxite waste into the drains and digging out the silt from the drains is the right thing to do," he said.