Water Pollution: Catfish pond owner among five nabbed

ALOR SETAR: Police arrested the owner of an illegal catfish pond and his four Indonesian workers on Tuesday on suspicion of causing water pollution in Sungai Selangor on Dec 7.

Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Fadzil Ahmat said the five individuals, aged between 28 and 50, were detained during a raid in Bukit Sentosa, Hulu Selangor.

He said that the 50-year-old owner of the fish pond located in Serendah, Selangor is believed to have emptied the pond, leading to the pollution.

“Further investigation also found that the farm has been operating without a licence for the past three years while all the suspects were remanded for a day starting yesterday.

“Police will apply for a remand extension at the Hulu Selangor Magistrate’s Court to complete the investigation,” he said in a statement.

Fadzil said that the case was being investigated under Section 430 of the Penal Code for committing mischief that resulted in supply water disruption.

On Dec 8, Bernama reported that water discharged from an illegal catfish pond has been identified as the cause of odour pollution which halted the Rantau Panjang and Sungai Selangor Phases 1, 2 and 3 water treatment plant (LRA) operations on Dec 7.

Selangor Tourism, Environment and Green Technology, and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman, Hee Loy Sian said the initial investigation detected a foul odour believed to be of dead fish in the samples of raw water obtained from Sungai Selangor.

-- BERNAMA