Selangor MB should set up water pollution taskforce - Klang MP

The Selangor state government has been urged to set up a task force to address issues concerning pollution of water sources in the state.

Klang MP Charles Santiago, in saying this, also called for the state to be more proactive by ensuring its Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) takes an effective role in monitoring and enforcing the law.

"Yes, water is a federal jurisdiction, and the Department of Environment comes under the Ministry of Environment and Water. But Selangor should have been proactive by ensuring Luas took on an effective enforcement and monitoring role since water disruptions are happening one too many times.

"And Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari should have asked for more budget, personnel, and logistics to make sure such a task was possible," said Santiago in a statement today.

The statement followed recent water cuts suffered by nearly 1.2 million consumers in the Klang Valley after four water treatment plants had to be shut down due to pollutants released into Sungai Gong that flows into Sungai Selangor.

Authorities had since traced the source of pollution to a factory in Rawang and arrested four men to facilitate an investigation.

Santiago said the people are already fed-up with promises made by the government to improve the situation.

They also do not care about promises to amend the laws to ensure no company or factory dares to pollute water sources, he added.

"Amirudin (photo) must set-up a task force composed of stakeholders to identify gaps and table amendments to specific laws at the Selangor state assembly within the next 30 days. And raise regulatory matters with the federal government.

"The primary aim of the task-force would be to stop the pollution of rivers and other water sources of the state. It would entail reviewing current policies and practices, including developing ideas of a new regulatory framework to ensure discipline and coherence in the industry," said Santiago.

He added that the task-force should identify and address existing approval, licensing, and monitoring practices, and propose new regulations, as well as strengthen oversight bodies.

"Either that, or we would be going back and forth, shifting the blame on each other while the people continue to face water disruptions." - Mkini