KOTA TINGGI: Police have received three reports over a pollution incident of Sungai Johor, which has affected nearby residents including the Orang Asli community here.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said two of the reports were lodged by affected villagers and another one by water operator Ranhill SAJ Sdn Bhd.
"We have received three reports and expect more to be lodged by those affected.
"Three Orang Asli villages were affected, namely Kampung Sayong Pinang, Kampung Pasir Intan and Kampung Kempas Menang," he said while visiting Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang here on Monday (Nov 3).
He said the Environment Department and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) are investigating the case under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
"During the briefing session with agencies and village leaders, residents voiced concerns over their disrupted livelihoods as fishermen could not carry out their activities because the water was polluted, causing fish deaths," he said.
Pollution was first detected in the river at around 7am on Friday (Oct 31) after a sand washing pond burst at a sand mining site near Kampung Orang Asli Sayong Pinang.
Johor works, transport, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said in a statement that the river's turbidity level surged to 37,400 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), compared to the normal level of around 400 NTU.
He said the state government released additional water from the Linggiu Dam to dilute the sediment and reduce the river's turbidity level.
