IPOH: Water samples taken from Sungai Bidor have been found to be clean, says A. Sivanesan.
The Perak health, human resources & indian community affairs council chairman said allegations made by Perikatan Nasional that the river has been polluted by effluent from a nearby pig farm were not true.
Sivanesan said the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) had, in February this year, conducted a check and found no serious issues with the quality of the water.
"Samples that were taken last year and in February this year found minimum and acceptable readings of pollution.
"The DVS, Environment Department (JAS) and Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) made another visit to the river on Thursday morning to take some samples again," he said in a press conference here on Thursday (April 24).
"The DVS has also checked two farms, one pig and one duck, in the constituency and also found that these operations adhered to the regulations set.
"Samples have been taken from the pig farm to be analysed, with the report expected to be out next week," he said.
"As for the duck farm, they do not have a pool, so no effluent was discharged from the premises," he added.
Sivanesan was responding to allegations made by Perikatan leaders that the river in Kampung Poh in Bidor has been polluted by effluent from a nearby pig farm.
PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad led a group, including media personnel, to the location on Wednesday (April 23).
Sivanesan said JAS, which checks the quality of river waters six times a year, also found that Sungai Bidor was clean.
"They use the Environmental Quality Monitoring Programme, an application to check the quality status of rivers in the country.
"There are three monitoring stations along Sungai Bidor and the water quality index shows that it is categorised as Class One and Two, with Class One being the best while Class Two has low chemical pollution," he said.
"The tests were conducted in February," he said, adding that JAS will continue to monitor the quality of all rivers in the state.
Sivanesan also called on PAS not to mislead and confuse the people.
"Water is a very serious matter. Don't play politics with water.
"In fact, they should be thankful to me, as I've closed down 30 pig farms," he said.
"Razman Zakaria, the former state agriculture committee chairman, did not do anything," he added.
