Tasik Muda pollution shows basin authority needed, says Chow

 

Chow Kon Yeow said Putrajaya is obligated to ensure that water catchment areas are protected from activities detrimental to river ecosystems.

GEORGE TOWN: The silt and mud pollution at the Tasik Muda reservoir in the Ulu Muda forest reserve necessitates the creation of the Ulu Muda Basin Authority (Umba), says Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Chow said he understands the Kedah government’s resistance to the creation of the authority, as it fears the prohibition of logging by the basin authority would lead to a loss of revenue.

However, he said, Putrajaya is obligated to ensure that water catchment areas are protected from activities detrimental to river ecosystems.

He was responding to RimbaWatch, an environmental NGO, which recently revealed satellite imagery of the reservoir being muddied by deposits from Sungai Muda, which flows through the logging operations upstream.

The environmental watchdog had also urged the Kedah government to explain why logging activities were taking place near the Tasik Muda reservoir.

Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor has since denied that logging activities were taking place near the reservoir, leading to mud deposits in the water.

Responding to Sanusi’s denial, Chow said: “If it (silt pollution) is not because of logging, then we (Penang government) also want to know the exact reason.”

Chow also said he had advocated the creation of the basin authority since his first term as chief minister and had spoken to three environment ministers and two Kedah menteris besar about the issue.

He also said he had spoken about the proposal at numerous meetings held by Putrajaya, attended by other state leaders.

“It is just that there is a lack of political will in taking the necessary action to make this issue a national policy,” he said.

Chow also expressed his concern that the silt pollution at Tasik Muda may worsen as this will severely affect the water supply throughout Penang.

In July 2022, the raw water supplied by Sungai Muda became too turbid (murky) to be treated safely, and led to the temporary shutdown of the Sungai Dua water treatment plant. - FMT