29 polluted rivers identified last year – Nik Nazmi

KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 29 or four per cent of the 672 rivers were found to be polluted last year, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said the data was based on monitoring by the Department of Environment (DOE) which found that the Water Quality Index (IKA) for these rivers was in the polluted category for that period.

"In dealing with the pollution of these rivers, which is caused by chemical waste disposal, livestock farming and mining activities, the ministry through the DOE has taken various measures including at the enforcement, planning and study levels.

"Among the measures implemented are enhancing enforcement for the causes of pollution subject to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127); ensuring development projects are based on EIA (environmental impact assessment); identifying the location of the complaint; and integrated operations with enforcement agencies,” he said.

He said in his reply to a question from Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) on the latest list of polluted rivers in Malaysia and how strict the ministry is in addressing the issue of river pollution in the country during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

Nik Nazmi said DOE will continuously monitor water quality through the environmental quality monitoring programme and there are 30 automatic monitoring stations and 1,353 manual monitoring stations for river water quality monitoring nationwide.

"The ministry will also increase the use of river water quality monitoring data and information to plan and organise enforcement strategies to ensure that this issue can be dealt with effectively and the balance of the ecological system can be maintained.

"The ministry is also conducting a study to introduce a new approach to control river pollution through the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) method,” he said. - BERNAMA