DOE issues stop work order against Selangor GLC's agro park in Sabak Bernam

 

The Department of Environment (DOE) has yet to receive the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Selangor Smart Agro Park (SSAP) project in Changkat Menteri, Sabak Bernam, from the Selangor State Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS).

In a statement today, DOE director-general Norlin Jaafar (above) said based on its record, there were no EIA reports received from PKPS as required under Section 34A(6) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

“The Terms of Reference (TOR) of the EIA Report for the proposed development of an oil palm plantation for the entire area of land belonging to PKPS in Sabak Bernam was received by DOE on Dec 5 2019, however, the TOR report was not confirmed on Jan 29 2020.

“Following Selangor DOE's investigation into the project location, a notice order was issued to PKPS on 8 April 2021 under Section 31, Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) as well as a stop-work order for activities prescribed under Section 34AA of the same Act on 12 April 2021 to stop the site cleaning work immediately and submit the EIA report to the DOE, ” she said.

She said DOE is monitoring the implementation of the project to ensure no activities are carried out on-site and stern actions will be taken against any violation of the law under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and its regulations.

Earlier, on April 8, PKPS in a media statement stated that it has appointed a consultant in 2019 to conduct an EIA study on the land for the proposed opening of oil palm plantation areas, as the land use category has been set out in the PKPS Title Deed.

- Bernama