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PM wants Selangor to monitor all projects |
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Written by Patrick
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Thursday, 24 February 2005 |
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23:
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked the Selangor
Government to ensure all future projects in the State do not adversely
affect the environment.
State Housing, Management and Squatters Committee chairman Datuk
Mohd Mokhtar Ahmad Dahlan said the directive was given yesterday,
following the issue related to the development around Bukit Cherakah
agricultural park and reserve.
"This is the directive from the Prime Minister to the State Government yesterday."
"The PM stressed that future development projects should not affect
the biodiversity in the area and that environmental and ecological
issues must be taken into consideration when approving any development
projects," he said in an interview today.
Mokhtar said 35 companies that were developing the area around the
Bukit Cherakah had stopped all work at the site and were now only
strengthening the area.
The State Government issued the stop- work order after the issue had attracted widespread public attention.
"They are merely carrying out remedial earthworks to prevent the
exposed land from having an adverse effect on the National Botanical
Garden."
He said the barren land could not be left exposed to natural elements as it could result in landslides and floods.
"They are doing remedial works to cover the exposed soil to prevent
mud and slime from flowing down into the Botanical Gardens should it
rain.
"The developers need to strengthen the slope, cover the exposed
land, build slit traps, and construct a proper drainage system and
flood retention ponds to prevent such calamities from occurring in the
surrounding area," he said.
Mokhtar said despite the development projects, the 800-hectare park would not be touched.
He said the developers were waiting for their Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) reports to be completed before they could resume their
projects.
The developers were given stop-work order on Dec 17.
source: New Straits Times 23-02-2005
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