An integrated investigation on the source and cause of pollution in Sungai Buah which flows into the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant will be carried out soon.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he had directed the Department of Environment (DoE) director-general to conduct the investigation together with the Selangor state government.

The contaminated water is affecting more than a million consumers in Klang Valley.

He told the media this, today, after distributing minor rural development project grants totalling RM173,500 to 70 associations and organisations in his Santubong parliamentary constituency here.

"We must identify and bring to book those responsible.

"We should use whatever laws we have and we have a number to deal with the culprits such as the Local Government Ordinance, DoE laws and regulations and others with heavier penalties for such offences," he said.

He believed the pollution was not done accidentally as the problem had persisted for the past two to three days.

"Whether people or the factory owners are careless, ignorant or not concerned at all of the impact of discharging their waste water into the river....we will get to the root of this.

"But I must emphasise here, we will only investigate and will then refer our findings to the Attorney-General's Chambers to decide on the prosecution," he said.

Wan Junaidi said he had received numerous reports on what was happening in Sungai Buah, said to be affected by pollution discharges from industrial areas in Nilai, Negeri sembilan. -- Bernama