KUALA SELANGOR, Oct 5 (Bernama) — The presence of an illegal dump site covering about 1.2 hectares near Rentak Perdana and Ritma Perdana in Puncak Alam has caused concern among more than 8,000 residents following foul odours since last month.
A Bernama check found the land near the two housing areas filled with piles of construction, industrial and domestic waste, with residents saying lorries had been entering the area to dump rubbish since July.
Rentak Perdana Residents Association chairman Ahmad Hosni Mubara, 42, said residents subsequently lodged complaints with the Kuala Selangor Municipal Council (MPKS), which took enforcement action by sealing the access route with concrete.
“However, the enforcement action last month has yet to resolve the problem and the foul odour is becoming stronger, especially during rainy weather.
“The pollution has also attracted large numbers of flies and mosquitoes, raising concerns that it could cause diseases, particularly among children,” he said when met by reporters at the site today.
Earlier, Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) Assistant Director (Operations) Che Rohaida Ngah, MPKS Health and Environment Department Area Supervisor Shahril Adlan Ahmad and Jeram State Assemblyman Datuk Harrison Hassan inspected the illegal dump site.
Ritma Perdana residents’ representative Ikhwan Hafizi, 29, said the situation had also led to an increase in venomous animals and rats, with residents having caught three snakes in the housing area, which is home to more than 4,000 people.
“Immediate cleaning action must be taken and the situation cannot be allowed to continue as it poses safety and health risks,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shahril said MPKS took action by excavating the access route to the site on Sept 16 to prevent further illegal dumping, adding that the council would carry out cleaning and waste collection in the near future, which is expected to take a month.
Harrison said the Kuala Selangor Land and District Office would take action under Section 7A against the landowner for breaching the conditions of the land title, while MPKS had also been advised to issue a compound and order immediate cleaning of the site.
— BERNAMA