The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for a segment of the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) project has been released with several concerns raised on the impact it would have on air quality, noise pollution, and vibrations from viaduct construction.
Another possible negative effect of the project is access to the sea for the Sungai Bayan Lepas fishing community.
The report was published on the Department of Environment website on Tuesday, focusing on the 5.95km light train transit line that will extend from the existing station at Permatang Damar Laut and end at the proposed Penang South Reclamation (PSR) island A, an island of reclaimed land called Station A4.
The report’s executive summary highlighted that the project will have four stations on Island A and a depot that serves the entire Bayan Lepas LRT.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke previously said the project, approved in 2019, would make it easier for Penangites to cross over to the mainland in Seberang Perai and boost the state’s economy.
The entire project measures 29.9km from Bayan Lepas to Komtar and comes with 27 stops covering Bukit Gelugor, Bayan Baru, Bayan Lepas, and the Penang International Airport where the track ends at the PSR area in Bayan Lepas.
It is also part of the state’s ambitious RM46 billion Penang Transportation Master Plan.
According to the executive EIA report, Kampung Binjai, Kampung Permatang Tepi Laut, and Permatang Damar Laut are located at the end of Segment 4 and the start of Segment 5, measuring less than 1km from the project.
To address the potentially restricted access for fisherfolk, the report suggested the construction of a special marine viaduct and temporary bridge clearance for fisherboats into and out of the Sungai Bayan Lepas jetty.
As for the impacts of noise and vibration, the report proposed temporary noise barriers as mitigation, as well as carrying noisy construction activities during the daytime only and continuous monitoring during piling works.
‘Proposed remedies inadequate’
Jaringan Ekologi Dan Iklim secretary Andrew Han responded with scepticism of the efficiency of the proposed measures within the EIA, calling them inadequate and unconvincing.
He said residents of Kampung Binjai and Kampung Permatang Tepi Laut might have to brace themselves for the same phenomenon that once affected those in Gurney Drive back in 2020.
“At Gurney Drive, while the reclamation project was ongoing for Gurney Wharf and Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 (STP2), a ‘sandstorm’ occurred. Now consider the size of the reclamation at the south (which) is 20 times bigger,” he told Malaysiakini.
“The report’s reliance on continuous monitoring (a process presumably conducted through self-monitoring) also raised doubts about the transparency of its implementation,” he said.
He added that given the artificial island is being constructed away from the view of the general public, he doubts that such self-monitoring will be conducted properly.
Han also added that the project will make it worse for those who are already affected by the silicon project, which is also known as the “fisherfolk’s tear island” among locals.
“The accessibility to that area will be close and the shrimp catch trend will be impacted drastically. Fisherfolk from Permatang Damar Laut have already requested to move to other fishing villages to put their boat as the project has made it harder for them to work during low tide,” he added.
Fisherfolk and environmentalists have been actively fighting against other sections of the Penang reclamation project.
In February, seven fisherfolk from Sungai Batu which is located a few kilometres from Sungai Bayan, and two environmentalist groups filed a judicial review to challenge the permission given to greenlight the project as it affected their livelihood.
The fisherfolk successfully revoked the first EIA report for the reclamation project in 2021 but Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow revealed that the state department had approved the latest EIA with the project expected to start in the third quarter of the same year. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.