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PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Kedah DOE orders quarry operation to halt over river pollution
- Admin UKK
- Berita
BANDAR BAHARU: The Kedah Department of Environment (DOE) ordered a stone quarry in Kampung Padang, Mukim Sungai Kechil, to halt operations yesterday following complaints of river water pollution.
Kedah DOE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said investigations confirmed the complaints were justified, as surface runoff mitigation controls at the quarry site were not carried out according to the approved plan.
"Investigations revealed that runoff from the quarry failed to enter drainage channels and sediment ponds, flowing directly into a nearby river instead. Wastewater from truck tyre washing operations was also found discharging into the stream, causing the turbidity.
"Field instructions were issued after quarry operations were found violating several conditions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.
"This will be followed by a Notice of Instruction under Sections 31 and 37 of the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974. Should the project proponent fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe, further legal action will be taken," she said today.
Enforcement action can be taken under Section 34A(7) of the EQA 1974, which provides for a fine between RM100,000 and RM1 million, along with mandatory imprisonment of up to five years.