GEORGE TOWN: There is no evidence to suggest that pollution at Pantai Esen in Permatang Damar Laut, Batu Maung is due to reclamation works for the man-made Silicon Island, says Zairil Khir Johari.
The Penang infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman said that investigations, including laboratory tests of samples taken from the area by relevant agencies, are still ongoing.
"I can confirm that the reclamation works comply with the Environment Department (DOE) guidelines, including the approved Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
"Strict measures have been adopted, such as the use of double-layer silt curtains. It's vital to understand that the area is naturally muddy, so the recent incident also occurred due to the increase in algae or 'algae bloom'," he said in a press statement.
He noted that media reports regarding the statement by state housing and environment committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo were not entirely accurate, as Sundarajoo had also stated that investigations, including laboratory tests by relevant agencies, were still underway.
Zairil highlighted that everyone should be aware that algae is not a byproduct of reclamation works.
He is also awaiting the final results of the laboratory tests to be confirmed by the technical agencies involved and urged all parties not to speculate on the issue.
"The more important question is how this bloom in algae could have occurred? Among the possibilities identified is that there is effluent from upstream of a nearby river flowing into the sea.
"In the surrounding area, there are several agricultural activities and a sewage treatment plant. The survey results found no algae stuck or growing in the silt curtain area, indicating that the source is not from the Silicon Island reclamation project site," he added.
On Friday (Nov 22), the media reported Sundarajoo as saying that the state government would not overlook the issue related to Pantai Esen, which has been polluted with silt and mud for over two months. – Bernama
