Sungai Air Batu pollution linked to effluent under probe
The Melaka Chief Minister's Department confirmed the river's discolouration, describing it as turning black, though investigations remain ongoing.
Initial probes by the Melaka Department of Environment (DOE) began after reports surfaced on July 8.
The department clarified that checks at the nearby Sungai Udang Landfill Site found no evidence of leachate contamination.
'No leachate discharge has been detected during the inspection,' the Corporate Communications Division stated.
The landfill, previously flagged for violations, remains under routine DOE supervision. Authorities assured the public of stringent action against offenders, emphasising compliance with Environmental Quality Standards.
'Stern and uncompromising action will be taken against any party found violating environmental laws,' the department added.
Periodic water sampling will continue to monitor pollution levels.
The state government pledged cooperation with multiple agencies for a thorough inquiry, prioritising resident safety. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
Johan Setia and Kuching record unhealthy air quality
Hazy conditions: Boats crossing the Sarawak River in Kuching. The city registered an API reading of 116. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star PETALING JAYA: Two areas recorded unhealthy air quality levels as isolated hotspots continued to be detected across Sumatra, Indonesia, as well as parts of Sabah and Sarawak. As of 6pm yesterday, Johan Setia in Selangor recorded an air pollutant index (API) of 151 while Kuching in Sarawak registered a reading of 116. Another 61 monitoring stations, including those in Batu Muda (Kuala Lumpur), Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Tanjung Malim (Perak) and Seri Aman (Sarawak), reported moderate API readings. The API scale classifies air quality as follows: 0–50 (good), 51–100 (moderate), 101–200 (unhealthy), 201–300 (very unhealthy) and above 300 (hazardous). Regionally, most of the southern Asean region experienced dry and cloudy conditions yesterday, with showers only in parts of central and northern Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) reported scattered hotspots in Kalimantan, with isolated ones in Sumatra, Sabah and Sarawak. Localised smoke plumes were also observed in Sarawak and Kalimantan. 'Hotspot activity in the region remains subdued,' said the ASMC. Looking ahead, dry weather is expected to continue over much of southern Asean, except in parts of Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and southern and eastern Kalimantan, where rain is forecast. 'While showers may ease fire and haze activity, isolated hotspots and smoke plumes could still develop in fire-prone areas experiencing prolonged dryness. There is also a risk of transboundary haze,' said the ASMC, adding that prevailing winds are expected to blow from the southeast to south. Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Department of Environment (DOE) has carried out 4,184 ground patrols and 645 drone flights since the beginning of the year to monitor open-burning activities that may contribute to haze. Its director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said during the same period, the department has issued 58 notices of instruction, initiated 27 court actions and imposed 59 compounds on parties found guilty of offences related to open burning. 'The DOE has intensified enforcement actions and daily patrols in areas with high potential for open burning while continuously monitoring the API readings,' he said in a statement. Wan Abdul Latiff added that the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan have been activated to coordinate government agency efforts in addressing open burning and managing the country's haze situation. 'All landowners are advised to closely monitor areas prone to fire such as landfills, forests, peatlands, plantations, agricultural zones and industrial sites. 'They must also take proactive steps to prevent trespassing by irresponsible parties, which could lead to open burning, either deliberately or unintentionally,' he said.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Malay Mail
Kuching air turns unhealthy as API hits 112, second worst in Malaysia after Johan Setia
KUCHING, July 25 — Air quality in Kuching has deteriorated to an unhealthy level, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at 112 as of 2pm. The Department of Environment's (DoE) Air Pollution Index Management System (Apims) website showed Kuching had the second highest API reading in the country at 2pm after the 152 recorded in Johan Setia, Klang, Selangor. The API readings for other areas in the state were at moderate level, however Sri Aman (96) and Mukah (92) were hovering close to unhealthy level. An API reading of 51 to 100 is considered moderate, while API readings of 101 to 200 are categorised as unhealthy. This morning, data from the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) website showed Lundu registering an unhealthy API of 125 at 8am and the reading at 12pm improved slightly to 123. Based on yesterday's Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) findings, air quality in Sarawak is expected to deteriorate given the large number of hotspots due to open burning detected near and across the Sarawak-Kalimantan Barat border near Lundu. The ASMC Satellite also detected hotspots across several areas in Sarawak this week, particularly in the western and central regions. Clusters of hotspots were observed in Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, and Betong divisions, with more detected south of Sibu and scattered near Kapit. Smaller numbers appeared near Mukah and northeast of Bintulu. ASMC in its website reported that dry weather persisted over the southern Asean region, including Sarawak, and only a few isolated hotspots were detected in Sarawak and Sumatra, while scattered hotspots were observed in Kalimantan. — The Borneo Post
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Transboundary haze: School closures, cloud seeding part of action plan
KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Environment (DoE) has activated the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan to coordinate multi-agency government efforts in addressing open burning and the risk of transboundary haze. DoE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the activation of the plans would allow for early enforcement and monitoring, following the re-emergence of hotspots both domestically and abroad. He said the National Haze Action Plan provides for a range of responses based on the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, including the activation of the National Disaster Management Committee by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) if the API exceeds 150 for more than 24 hours. "Schools, kindergartens and nurseries will be closed immediately if the API exceeds 200, while early preparations will be made if readings show an increasing trend towards that level. "In addition, cloud seeding operations (OPA) will be carried out if the API remains above 150 for over 24 hours, subject to the availability of clouds and suitable weather conditions," he said today. As of July 23, monitoring by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected 91 hotspots in Kalimantan, 42 in Sumatra, and 13 within Malaysia including 11 in Sarawak and one in Pahang and Terengganu. "The Regional Haze Map released by ASMC on July 24 showed that dry weather continues across most parts of Southeast Asia, except for a few areas in northern Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia which experienced rainfall," he added. Wan Abdul Latiff said satellite imagery indicated the presence of localised smoke plumes originating from hotspots in central and southern Sumatra, western and southern Kalimantan, and Sarawak. "Accordingly, the DoE has intensified patrols and enforcement in high-risk areas and continues to monitor API readings closely," he said. He also urged all landowners to closely monitor their premises to prevent trespassing or any activities that could trigger open burning, whether intentional or not. "At the same time, the DoE advises the public to comply with directives and restrictions during haze episodes, including refraining from open burning that could worsen air quality. "Anyone found guilty of open burning can be prosecuted under Section 29(A) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, which carries a maximum fine of RM1 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both," he said. He added that compounds of up to 50 per cent of the maximum fine may also be issued for each offence. Abdul Latiff also encouraged the public to extinguish small fires when possible and to immediately report any incidents to the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or to the DoE at 1-800-88-2727. "Real-time API readings are available on or via the MyJAS EQMS app on Google Play and the App Store. he added.
