Ismail (left, in purple) shaking hands with representatives from the Johor Village Heads Association during the open house at Dewan Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat.
JOHOR BARU: The state government will soon carry out an aerial mapping exercise to identify industry players operating along all rivers following the ammonia pollution that caused a major water disruption in Sungai Johor.
“This is needed to prevent similar incidents of pollution especially in rivers supplying raw water to consumers,” said State Secretary Datuk Ismail Karim.
He said the state has instructed the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) to conduct investigations and plan the aerial mapping to identify industries currently operating along all rivers, including Sungai Johor.
This is the second time waste has been emitted from an oil palm mill in the state.
The first incident occurred in Felda Taib Andak, Kulai in 2015 where an illegal factory processing waste and old tyres caused water pollution, said Ismail when met at an open house hosted by Johor Village Heads Association at Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat here.
He also said the oil palm mill belonging to a government-linked company in Ulu Remis here has been served a 60-day notice of closure starting from July 15 pending cleaning up works
Ismail added that the notice of closure was issued by the Department of Environment under Section 31 of the Environment Quality Act 1974, adding that investigation papers would be opened under Section 16.
