Tonnes of rubbish dumped daily in filthy Sungai Pinang

Sorry state of affairs: Workers collecting trash trapped at the log boom barrier installed in Sungai Pinang in Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Old sofas, beds, refrigerators and even motorcycles have been retrieved from Sungai Pinang.

The irresponsible action by some people who throw such items into the river has prompted state authorities to step up the frequency of rubbish collection along the waterway.

About one tonne of rubbish is collected daily from the log booms installed along the river, said state infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.

“It is a total lack of civic consciousness among some people. The effectiveness of our actions against the pollution of the river is limited as we don’t have control over people’s attitudes.

“We just have to look at Singapore and other countries that are able to achieve clean river status because people do not dump rubbish in them,” he told a press conference after visiting the site of the log boom at Sungai Pinang yesterday.

Zairil said the river was much cleaner during the Covid-19 movement control order periods when there were fewer people moving around.

“But it’s back to being dirty now. It shows that people can be responsible if they want to be, and they should act accordingly.

“There are many log booms in rivers in the state and one only has to imagine the amount of rubbish collected on a daily basis,” he added.

Sungai Pinang is believed to be one the most polluted rivers in the country. People living along its banks have been struggling against the foul stench emanating from the rubbish dumped into the river for many years.

Zairil said one of the steps to be taken under the RM150mil Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project is to build 1.6km underground parallel drains from Jalan Langkawi to Kampung Rawa.

“The project will help to control the rubbish flowing into the river as it will flow into the drains and not directly into the river,” he added.

He said the long-delayed federal flood mitigation project would begin in the last quarter of 2022 where tenders will be called with the work expected to be completed within four years.

Zairil also announced dredging works to clear sediment at a cost of RM450,000 along three parts of the river which will begin in May. State environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, who was also at the press conference, said during the dry season, the river has less rubbish but when there are downpours, the river is usually choked with large amount of rubbish.

“The state will take immediate action against anyone caught dumping rubbish into the river,” said Phee, urging the people to be more vigilant in reporting such incidents.