BUKIT MERTAJAM: Fifty-four of the 85 active projects in the state did not comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines, said the Penang Department of Environment (DOE).
Its director, Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab, said the department had conducted inspections on these active projects approved under the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2015 from the start of this year until Oct 24.
“The Penang DOE conducted mandatory inspections on all the premises or projects that had received EIA approval to ensure that all regulations were complied with, including the major projects and quarries where construction works are ongoing
“Of the 85 premises inspected, we found that only 36 per cent or 31 projects, complied with the EIA, while 54 projects or 64 per cent did not. Because of this non-compliance, Penang DOE has issued 23 compounds and taken seven legal actions.”
She said this to reporters after opening the ‘EIA’s Role in Sustainable Development’ Seminar in conjunction with the state-level National Environment Day celebration today.
Sharifah Zakiah said that during the inspections, the department found that one of the EIA violations was not ensuring that the projects implemented complied with the air quality, water and scheduled waste management regulations.
“The EIA for major projects must meet all the stipulated conditions. If the water discharge does not meet the conditions and if erosion and siltation at the sites are not controlled, it can lead to disasters such as flooding and river pollution,“ she said.
She said the state DOE conducted a total of 1,265 enforcement inspections during the same period. Out of 743 projects inspected, 58 per cent were compliant while 522 or 42 per cent were non-compliant.
A total of 426 compounds worth RM852,000 were issued to the premises owners and 48 legal actions taken. - Bernama