JOHOR BARU: The Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) is waiting for the full Environment Department (DOE) report on odour pollution in Sungai Pandan.
Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman said the report would allow the city council to take enforcement action against those responsible for polluting the river.
“MBJB is also monitoring the situation on the ground where the chemical odour pollution has even reached the Plentong area,” he told a press conference after chairing the full council meeting held at Menara MBJB here on Wednesday (Sept 4).
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Noorazam added that Sungai Pandan, also known as Sungai Tebrau, is one of the main rivers in Johor Baru and flows into the Kulai and Iskandar Puteri areas as well.
He said DOE’s full report would help find conclusive evidence on those responsible for the incident.
“Once we identify those responsible, MBJB will take action. If factories are involved, the enforcement action includes seizing (the premises),” he added.
On Tuesday (Sept 3), the Johor Fire and Rescue Department collected water and soil samples from Sungai Pandan in Kampung Melayu Pandan here following reports of odour pollution in three areas.
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Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said initial analysis detected the presence of an unidentified chemical substance.
He said a second set of samples would be taken, with the help of the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) team from Melaka, to determine the content and type of chemical involved.
