BUKIT MERTAJAM – Checks at the village area of Sg Lembu here revealed that the pollution originated from a duck farm that was disposing waste that affected Sg Kulim and Sg Air Merah in Kedah.
Penang Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperatives Development exco Fahmi Zainol said further inspections by enforcement agencies today found that the pollution was not from a pig farm in the vicinity as reported yesterday.
“The Penang Veterinary Services Department, and the Environment Department, along with Penang City Council, conducted checks at the pig farm from 11am today and after the inspection and an explanation from the pig farm operator, we visited a nearby duck farm… with over 100,000 ducks, and we found there was direct discharge from the farm that operated since 15 years ago.
“The discharge flowed directly to Sg Air Merah and also through Sg Kulim, which caused the pollution, but has yet to directly impact treated water at a water treatment plant located 14km away,” he told reporters after conducting inspections at Sg Lembu here today.
He said that the pollution would not impact treated water in Penang and Kedah, and urged the public not to be worried about water quality and safety and not to make conclusions involving sensitive issues.
“Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) will take action against the operator of the duck farm… which is unlicensed, for which it has been issued a RM1,000 compound,” he said, adding that its building licence would be revoked if the operator did not resolve its non-compliance.
Penang Veterinary Services Department director Dr Saira Banu Mohamed Rejab meanwhile shared that the department could not take any action against the farm as the farm had yet to fall under its jurisdiction as a related state enactment had only come into effect early this year but noted that they have advised the operator to fix its discharge channels immediately.
He added that the farm could not be ordered shut immediately as it was actively breeding over 100,000 ducks.
Also, MBSP health department veterinary officer Dr Mohammad Aklis Azmi said they would be reviewing 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 their licence. For the direct discharge, action can be taken under the Local Government Act as it is untreated sewage,” he said.
Media outlets reported yesterday that the Kedah Environment Department detected pig waste discharge suspected to originate from Sg Lembu and its director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said checks by her department also found several pools discharging effluent into Sg Air Merah that then entered Sg Kulim.
A pig farm in the vicinity was then ordered to close immediately over suspicions of discharging waste by the Penang Veterinary Services Department after checks revealed it was operating without a licence. – February 19, 2024
