River conservation initiatives to be intensified - Tuan Ibrahim

BANGI: River conservation works will be intensified and centralised wastewater treatment plants will be built at industrial areas as part of the National River Trail (DSK) project, said Environment and Water Minister (KASA) Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Tuan Ibrahim said a centralised wastewater system would be developed in every area that has been gazetted as an industrial site under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

"The system will trap pollutants and treat the water before it flows into the river. This will stop river pollution caused by factories," he told a press conference after launching the Sungai Langat Trail here today.

Tuan Ibrahim said the development of river trails could help prevent encroachment activities and pollution, especially caused by lorries dumping wastes into rivers.

He said the Sungai Langat Trail project is the starting point of the DSK programme, through which the river reserve areas would be developed as a recreational site to promote environmentally sustainable economic activities such as river ecotourism.

According to Tuan Ibrahim, the Sungai Langat trail is a four-kilometre stretch and has the potential to be developed up to 50 kilometres and be connected to Putrajaya area.

He said KASA was targeting a DSK trail of 10,000 kilometres by 2030.

-- BERNAMA