[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP) menggesa kerajaan Pulau Pinang, Majlis Bandaraya Seberang Perai (MBSP), Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) dan Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) menjalankan siasatan dan mengambil tindakan segera bagi mengatasi masalah pencemaran Sungai Juru di daerah Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) yang semakin serius berlaku ketika ini.
Dalam tinjauan yang dibuat CAP mendapati kejadian yang berpunca dari rumpai hanyut dan sisa buangan plastik dari Sungai Rambai di kawasan tersebut telah dibawa arus ke Sungai Juru dan laut berhampiran menyebabkan nelayan dan penternak kerang di Kampung Kuala Juru terjejas aktiviti harian mereka.
Ketua nelayan Kampung Kuala Juru, Wahid Othman, 57, berkata masalah yang berlarutan sejak lima tahun yang lalu itu telah dimaklumkan kepada pihak berkenaan tetapi tidak ada tindakan berkesan yang diambil.
Menurutnya, selain pukat nelayan rosak dirempuh rumpai hanyut dan sampah sarap, pembesaran kerang yang diternak juga terbantut dan menjejaskan sumber pendapatan para penternak yang terlibat.
Seorang penternak kerang Helmi Ibrahim, 45, memberitahu, jika pencemaran rumpai hanyut dan sampah sarap ini masih berlaku dan tidak ditangani segera, kemungkinan lebih besar kerugian akan di alami. Beliau bimbang kerang yang diternak boleh mati jika rumpai dan sisa plastik mendap di kawasan ternakan kerang mereka.
- Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both
- Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB a/c 8004240948
- Make a pledge or schedule an auto donation to Aliran every month or every quarter
- Become an Aliran member
CAP kesal dengan kejadian ini dan jika tindakan segera tidak diambil para nelayan dan penternak kerang di kampung berkenaan akan terjejas sumber pendapatan mereka dengan lebih teruk lagi pada masa akan datang.
Justeru, CAP meminta kerajaan negeri, MBSP, JAS dan JPS turun padang melihat secara dekat kejadian ini dan mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap punca berlakunya masalah itu.
Tindakan undang-undang yang tegas perlu diambil ke atas pihak yang dikenal pasti menjadi punca kejadian tersebut. JAS dan MBSP perlu membuat pemantauan secara berterusan agar masalah ini tidak berulang.
CAP juga berharap pihak kerajaan menyalurkan bantuan atau pampasan kepada nelayan dan penternak kerang yang mengalami kemerosotan hasil pendapatan akibat masalah ini. – CAP
English version
Pollution of Juru River affecting fisherfolk and cockle breeders
The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Penang state government, the Seberang Perai City Council, Department of Environment (DoE), and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to conduct investigations and take immediate action to address the pollution of Juru River in the Central Seberang Perai district.
In a survey conducted by CAP, it was found that the pollution, which was caused by drifting weed and plastic waste from the Rambai River in the area, has been carried by the current to the Juru River and the nearby sea, disrupting the daily activities of fishermen and cockle breeders in Kampung Kuala Juru.
Kampung Kuala Juru fishermen’s head Wahid Othman, 57, said the problem, which has been ongoing for the past five years, has been reported to the relevant authorities but no effective action has been taken.
According to him, apart from the fishing nets being damaged by drifting weed and garbage, the growth of the farmed cockle has also been stunted, affecting the income of the affected cockle breeders.
A cockle breeder, Helmi Ibrahim, 45, said if the pollution from drifting weed and garbage continues and is not addressed immediately, greater losses may occur. He is concerned the farmed cockles could die if weed and plastic waste settle in their cockle-breeding areas.
CAP is concerned that if immediate action is not taken, the fishermen and cockle breeders in this village will suffer further losses.
Therefore, CAP urges the state government, the city council, the DoE and DID to conduct a site visit to assess the situation and take appropriate action to resolve the problem.
Stringent action must be taken against the perpetrators identified to have caused the pollution.
The DoE and the city council must conduct frequent monitoring visits to ensure this issue does not recur.
CAP also hopes the government will provide assistance or compensation to fisherfolk and cockle breeders who have experienced losses in income due to the pollution.
Mohideen Abdul Kader is the president of the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP).
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
