DOZENS of dead fish were found floating in Sungai Ramal, Kajang on Wednesday (Feb 11), sparking concerns over possible river pollution in the area.
The Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) said the incident, reported at Taman Kajang Impian, Section 8, Bandar Baru Bangi, had the potential to affect the Bukit Tampoi Water Treatment Plant located about 20km away.
It carried out an immediate investigation and found water flowing into a pond within the Res Tress Country Heights area, which is suspected to have caused the deaths.
Further checks led LUAS to suspect the flow originated from the Balakong Jaya Industrial Area upstream.
"Water samples were taken and sent to the LUAS laboratory for further analysis," LUAS said on Friday (Feb 13).
LUAS said it was conducting stage-by-stage inspections within the industrial zone to identify possible discharge points.
It noted that the zone was large with many premises and channels, requiring systematic checks to pin down the source.
LUAS added that it was in the process of issuing Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP) compliance notices to premises in the area as a long-term preventive measure.
The incident first gained traction on social media when Facebook user "Jejak Air Tawar" claimed the fish had died suddenly, noting that carcasses of snakes were also discovered along the river.
The user argued that the incident could not be dismissed as a natural occurrence, as even air-breathing species were found dead.
"The fish found were introduced species such as tilapia, ikan bandaraya (pleco), lampam jawa and jaguar cichlid, while a python was also discovered among the carcasses," the post read.
Meanwhile, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said he had been briefed on the initial findings regarding the suspected pollution source.
He said further investigations were ongoing, adding that he would "leave it to the authorities to take the necessary action."
The Selangor Fisheries Department was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of writing.
