Sungai Lembu pollution caused by duck farm, not pig waste

 

Authorities now say the pollution at Sungai Lembu came from a farm with 100,000 ducks, and not a pig farm, as reported yesterday. (JAS Kedah pic)

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Checks in the vicinity of Sungai Lembu here have revealed that the pollution originated from a duck farm disposing of waste that affected Sungai Kulim and Sungai Air Merah in Kedah.

Penang agrotechnology, food security and cooperatives development committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said inspections by enforcement agencies today did not find pollution from a pig farm, as reported yesterday.

“The Penang veterinary services department and the department of environment, along with the Penang City Council conducted checks at the pig farm from 11am.

“After the inspection and an explanation from the pig farm owner, we visited a nearby duck farm with more than 100,000 ducks.

“We found that there was direct discharge from the farm, which has been in business for 15 years.

“The discharge flowed directly to Sungai Air Merah and also through Sungai Kulim, causing the pollution, but it has yet to directly impact treated water at a water treatment plant 14km away,” Fahmi told reporters after the inspections at Sungai Lembu here.

He said the pollution would not impact treated water in Penang and Kedah, and there was no need to worry.

He also urged the public not to jump to conclusions about sensitive issues.

“The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) will take action against the owner of the unlicensed duck farm,” he said, adding that it has issued a compound notice for RM1,000.

Penang veterinary services department director Dr Saira Banu Rejab said the farm could not be shut immediately because of the size of its livestock.

MBSP health department veterinary officer Dr Aklis Azmi also said his department would review the status of the duck farm before taking any further action.

“If the farm has a licence, MBSP will issue a show cause letter to revoke it. For the direct discharge, action can be taken under the Local Government Act because it is untreated sewage,” he said.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Kedah department of environment detected pig waste discharge suspected to originate from Sungai Lembu.

Its director, Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab, said checks also found several pools discharging effluents into Sungai Air Merah that then entered Sungai Kulim.

A pig farm in the vicinity was then ordered to shut immediately over suspicions of discharging waste by the Penang veterinary services department after checks revealed it was operating without a licence. - FMT