Be sensitive to the environment

The star

Friday September 7, 2007

PENANG: All government departments, MPs and assemblymen have to refer to the relevant departments managing environment-sensitive areas before commencing any construction in these places.

State Tourism and Environment committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said inter-departmental communication was very important to avoid unnecessary speculation.

He said this when commenting on recent re-ports on complaints by environmentalists and Friends of Penang Hill about alleged illegal clearing on Penang Hill.

It was reported that Friends of Penang Hill spokesman Ahmad Chik had suspected a far-mer was clearing land and cutting trees to build a cement road in the government forest reserve.

Teng told a press conference yesterday that the claims were not true, adding that the work was done by George Town district Public Works Department (JKR) that was upgrading the 1.2km road stretch off Tunnel Road on Penang Hill.

“The state Forestry Department has done its investigations and there is no violation of the law in this case,” he said.

State Forestry Department deputy director Foong Lai Hoy said a check in the area showed that the road and drainage upgrading project was being done properly.

“The department was upgrading the existing road and only three trees, which were leaning and hazardous, were felled.

“Some clearing of shrubs and weeds were also done by the roadside,” he said.

He added that a proper drainage system was also built, adding that bamboo trees had been planted on the slopes to prevent soil erosion.