Senawang folk choking in sawdust

Factory owners want DOE to find a permanent solution.

SENAWANG: Factory and workshop owners and their workers in the Senawang Light Industrial Area have been breathing in sawdust for the past six months and they have finally decided that enough is enough.

Senawang state assemblymen P Gunasekaran of DAP has taken up their cause and called on the Negeri Sembilan Department of Environment (DOE) to end the problem permanently.

He told reporters today that he complained to DOE three weeks ago, and the department immediately sent inspectors to the area. The air cleared immediately, but only for a couple of days.

“They came the same day that I called them,” he said. “The problem stopped, but started again after two or three days.”

Several factory owners who were at today’s conference blamed a sawmill operating in the area.

They complained about their workers getting sick and themselves suffering respiratory problems and eye irritation.

Workshop owner Liew Kok Yong said the problem would get worse on windy days.

Gunasekaran also spoke about a damaged bridge in the area and urged the Seremban Municipal Council to repair it.

A steel bar on one side of the bridge is broken. This happened about four months ago, according to Gunasekaran.

“I’ve sent letters, emails and photos to the council,” he said. “But no action has been taken.”