Kajang at centre of illegal dumping

kajang-at-centre-of-illegal-dumping-problem-this-year

THE START of the year saw a total of 22 councillors being sworn into the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) 2016/2017 line-up. Among them was Vangadesen Muniandy, 44, who wanted to focus on the rubbish issue, a thorn in the side of this Hulu Langat district.

A month later, MPKj announced a new 16.19ha bulk waste dumpsite near Sungai Lalang, Semenyih, to replace the current one. The old dumpsite has been in use since 2012 and will meet its capacity in the next few years.

However, a visit to the old dumpsite following public complaints about foul smell was but the tip of the iceberg of the troubles that would follow. By right, as the dumpsite was only for bulk construction and garden waste, it should not be smelly. Early inspection ruled out illegal dumping and decomposing waste.

As the mysterious pong pervaded, MPKj president Mohd Sayuthi Bakar announced the council’s plans to consolidate disposal of industrial waste. This was so the council had better control over disposal locations.

In the new plan, a committee consisting of factory associations and MPKj will monitor the contractors. The move will also be extended to the collection of bulk waste from residences with strata titles and special emphasis were given to low-cost flats.

Mohd Sayuthi said in the absence of a joint management body to hire a certified contractor, there was a higher tendency for the wanton dumping of bulk waste.

By July, MPKj had appointed 14 new contractors to handle garbage in different zones. A rezoning exercise streamlined the district’s existing 24 zones to 14.

MPKj’s garbage collection services included a weekly bulk waste collection for stratified buildings (condominiums, apartments and high-rise properties), and daily domestic waste collection for 58 traditional villages using a central bin method.

It was an exercise that has not come cheap as Mohd Sayuthi revealed three months later at the launch of the “Go Green with 3R” programme in Section 6, Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Bangi, the first neighbourhood in Kajang to be selected for a pilot waste separation and recycling project.

He said two-thirds of MPKj’s annual budget went to paying contractors to collect and send waste to the Tanjung Dua Belas Landfill in Kuala Langat.

While the source of pong emanating from the existing dumpsite remained a mystery, in September, noxious whiffs forced the closure of the Semenyih water treatment plant and left hundreds of thousands of households in Hulu Langat, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Langat and Sepang districts with dry taps.

As tempers flared following more water cuts due to pollution, MPKj flexed its muscle by shutting down a factory found by Air Selangor to be one of the sources of pollution.

In the following months, the municipal council saw to the cleaning up of an illegal landfill discovered just a few metres away from Sungai Semenyih and revoked the licences of three factories operating along the river, for flouting trade licensing, waste disposal and town planning by-laws.

MPKj also put a ban on all commercial operations operating along Sungai Semenyih stating it will only allow businesses and factories to operate within industrial zones. Existing businesses, those that flout council by-laws or do not comply with its zoning status will have their licences revoked.

As of Oct 13, a task force had checked 33 premises operating in Pekan Semenyih and Sungai Lalang. Compounds and notices were issued for flouting council by-laws and regulations.

In view of the impending monsoon season, the Slope Unit hadbeen mobilised to monitor high-risk areas. Earlier in August, residents in Taman Ferngrove, Cheras, had demanded further investigations into the ongoing development of eight bungalow lots there.

MPKj replied the bungalows were approved about 20 years ago when Taman Ferngrove was developed. It said as long as the development had been included in the local plan, there was no need to have a hearing or to seek the neighbour’s permission for the development to continue at present.

In view of the rapid development and number of Federal Government projects such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE), Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Expressway (SUKE), centralised sewerage treatment plant, Langat 2 and TNB High Voltage Transmission Lines that will be taking place in Kajang, the municipal council has drawn up a new local plan to accommodate these and future developments.

One of the guidelines set as early as January this year saw cement mixing plants having to pay a deposit of RM50,000 per kg to the council to ensure accountability over damaged roads. Only two plants are legally allowed to operate in the Kajang municipality now.