Kelantan government admits Lojing Highlands farmers violated EIA rules

 

The Kelantan government has acknowledged that a number of farmers operating at Lojing Highlands in Gua Musang have violated the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) rules. - NSTP/SHARIFAH MAHSINAH ABDULLAH.

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government has acknowledged that a number of farmers operating at Lojing Highlands in Gua Musang have violated the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) rules.

Kelantan deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said some of them had already been charged in court, some ordered to cease their operations while others were fined for breaching the regulations.

However, Mohd Amar said the state government could not clarify whether claims on rivers that were polluted in Gua Musang, were caused by the massive land clearing for farming.

"We cannot confirm whether the claims (on the polluted rivers) were caused by massive land clearing but what we are sure is that any farming project or logging activity are bound by the rules and need to get EIA approval.

"The projects must get the approval to enable owners to carry out the work. But if the owners were found to have violated any EIA rules or other regulations set by Department of Environment (DOE), stern action can be taken by the DOE.

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"In the Lojing Highlands case, I was told that several farmers have faced court action and some have been ordered to suspend their work for violating EIA rules," he added.

Mohd Amar who is also state Public Administration, Regional Development, People Wellbeing and Integrity Committee chairman, was commenting on NST's front-page report on the majority of farmers have violated EIA rules.

The report stated that farmers at Lojing Highlands were still carrying out activities to plant more vegetable varieties such as tomatoes and long beans.

Many were found to have failed to adhere to EIA guidelines including having good farming management practices such as proper waste disposal which can lead to erosion as well as other environmental issues that affect the nearby rivers.

The Orang Asli who lives nearby the highlands, also claimed that two rivers that used to be their main sources of livelihood, were polluted following the unchecked agricultural activities upstream.

The rivers are Sungai Belatok and Sungai Brooke and the pollution of the rivers have raised concerns among some 3,000 Orang Asli. - NST