PETALING JAYA: Action has been taken against an owner of a premise who caused oil and smell pollution near an industrial area in Klang which affected thousands of residents over the last one month.
The Environment Department said an investigation by the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry on Nov 1 found spillage of oil around the construction site of Bukit Kapar suspected to be engine oil.
"An order notice has been issued under Section 31 and 37 of the Environment Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) where the land owner was instructed to clean-up the area and dispose of the waste at the premises licensed by the Environment Department," said the department in a statement on Thursday (Nov 11).
"Under Section 31, an offender can be fined not more than RM25,000 or jailed not more than two years or both.
"If the offences were repeated additional fines not more than RM1,000 can be imposed everyday from the date the notice is issued.
Meanwhile, the issue of environmental pollution was brought up by Kapar MP Dr Hajah Halimah Ali during the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Nov 1 involving dumping of industrial waste.
"These led to Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who went to the site to survey the area with a team from the Environment Department, including Hajah Halimah, which was headed by ministry secretary-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar.
The department said from Jan 1 to Nov 15, a total of 178 complaints on the environment under the Kapar Parliament constituency were received.
"From this, 136 complaints were reported on air pollution, 12 on scheduled waste disposal, eight on water pollution, seven on noise and 15 on disruption on normal waste disposal.
"Those with complaints can call the toll free number at 1-800-88-2727 which operates 24 hours or through email at aduan_k@doe.gov.my or the Environment Department portal at https.//eaduan.doe.gov.my," it added.
