RM5,000 reward for information leading to arrest of Selangor water polluters

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) is offering a reward of RM5,000 to anyone with information and evidence that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for the water pollution in Sungai Selangor that caused the most recent water supply disruption in the state.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said all information could be channelled via email at pro@kasa.gov.my or the Department of Environment (DOE) hotline at ‪1-800-88-2727‬.

"The reward given is in line with the government’s continuous commitment to Budget 2021, which will provide special allocations to any (party) who can channel information on any misconduct and violations of the law, including the issue of river pollution.

"I view this matter very seriously because there have been seven incidents where water treatment plants in Selangor have had to shut down due to pollution this year,” he said in a statement yesterday.

As such, he said he had instructed KASA Chief Secretary Datuk Seri Ir Dr Zaini Ujang to visit several sites suspected to be the source of the pollution, which is around Taman Velox, Rawang.

He said the visit was joined by DOE director-general Norlin Jaafar; Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) chief executive officer Narendran Maniam; and National Water Services Commission (SPAN) CEO Datuk Ahmad Faizal Abdul Rahman.

"Based on initial investigations, the pollution was found to have come from industrial effluent from various small and medium industries at Taman Velox and its vicinity, namely Kawasan Industri Kecil Sungai Bakau and Taman Perindustrian Teknologi Rawang.

"Part of the industrial effluent seeped into drains while some of it was dumped illegally into the sewerage system, where it then disrupted the operations at the IWK sewerage treatment plant in Taman Velox," he said.

He added that investigations would continue to be carried out by the enforcement teams from the DOE, IWK, SPAN, police, Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS), Air Selangor and state government until the cause of the pollution and the environmental criminals were identified.

Bernama yesterday reported that the pollution caused unscheduled water supply disruption affecting 1,139,008 consumer accounts in the Klang Valley.

The disruption affected 1,279 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat starting from 6 pm.

-- BERNAMA