JOHOR BAHRU: Action will be taken against the factory that caused odour pollution here and in Kota Tinggi last month, said Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
However, he said, the action by the state government would only be taken after the disposal of the court case involving the five individuals who were charged with committing the offence.
He told reporters when met after the 2023/2024 Iskandar Malaysia Green Accord Initiative Award presentation at Sutera Mall here today.
He was asked about actions to be taken against factories that caused pollution to the environment and the health of the people in the state
The five men, including a Singaporean, had pleaded not guilty to charges of sabotaging and causing harm to the maintenance of essential services, namely the water supply in Bandar Tenggara, last Sept 4.
Ling also said the District Disaster Management Committee, comprising the Department of Environment (DOE), local authorities (PBT) and the police will continue to monitor factories that produce scheduled waste to avoid similar incidents from happening again.
According to him, 150 factories that produce scheduled waste have been inspected since the pollution incident last month.
The incident caused 38 people from an Orang Asli Village to be evacuated after they claimed to have shortness of breath and dizziness, believed to be due to pollution in Sungai Liu.
Residents in several residential areas such as Taman Daya, Taman Istimewa, Taman Mount Austin and Kampung Melayu Pandan have also been threatened with odour pollution since last Sept 3.
