No logging licences issued at Tasik Chini

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar says only two iron mines were still active with the approval of the state government in 2010.

KUALA LUMPUR: No logging licenses have been issued in the permanent forest reserve, tourism reserve or state land near Tasik Chini in Pahang.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said only two iron mines, located about five kilometres from Tasik Chini, were still active with the approval of the state government in 2010.

Referring to a newspaper article on Tasik Chini, which said the lake was dying, he said aerial image of the surrounding areas taken in 2013, show the areas cleared did not reflect the latest status of the lake.

Tasik Chini is recognised as a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco.

A Malay daily had reported on Saturday that Tasik Chini, the nation’s second largest natural lake after Tasik Bera was affected by uncontrolled logging, mining and plantation activities resulting in the lake shrinking and drying up.

Wan Junaidi said the ministry had taken numerous efforts with the cooperation of Pahang state government agencies to conserve the area via the Tasik Chini Conservation Plan as a Natural Heritage and Biosphere Reserve.

The plan encompassed monitoring the quality of water, strengthening the banks and the preservation of plants by the Peninsula Malaysia Forestry Department (JPSM), Pahang forestry department, drainage and irrigation department, department of environment and department of mineral and geoscience.

Wan Junaidi said the efforts to realise the aspiration of Prime Minister Najib Razak that the quality of the water of Tasik Chini achieve Class 1 by 2019 was being intensified.

“Monthly monitoring of the quality of the water in Tasik Chini shows significant improvement with the majority of stations at Class 2 and the rest at Class 1 for 2016 with the revival of marine life,” he added. -FMT