Watchdog committee to draw the line
27/06/2006 THE MALAY MAIL

THERE will be no projects in the city if they are certified "environment sensitive".

The stamp of approval will come from the Federal Territories Ministry’s Environment Sensitivity Committee which held its first meeting in Putrajaya yesterday. This ruling is expected to come into effect when the committee meets again in two weeks.

The body was formed following public outcry over the May 31 landslide tragedy in Kampung Pasir, Hulu Klang, that claimed four lives. Its chairman is the Ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan.

Federal Territory Ministry’s principal assistant secretary Dr Aizi Razman Ismail said committee members had decided to make it mandatory for projects in areas like hillslopes and former mining pools to have their plans scrutinised by them.

He said the committee also discussed terms of reference for its members.

"It’s more like a brainstorming where we have general ideas of what to do.

"For instance, the Mineral and Geoscience Department briefed us on places deemed sensitive like hillslopes, wetlands, forest reserves and former mining ponds.

"City Hall, on the other hand, explained their procedures for approving development plans," he said.

If the proposed project site is found to be dangerous or unsuitable for development, the committee will ask City Hall to reject the plan.

"This ruling will take effect at the next meeting in two weeks. The Bukit Mas issue will also be discussed at the coming meeting."

Aizi was referring to a proposed town villa and condominium project on a hillslope in Bukit Mas, Taman Melawati, on the KL side of the hill, overlooking Kampung Pasir on the Selangor side.

"The ruling, however, applies only to new proposals within the Federal Territories and not nationwide," he said, adding that the committee did not pick specific spots to check.

"This is a permanent effort and the areas will be checked after being referred to us by City Hall."

Prior to the study, he said City Hall’s environmental control protection division, under the health department, would check a proposed site to see if development should be approved or not.

Officers from various agencies, including City Hall, were present in yesterday’s meeting, chaired by the Ministry’s vice secretary-general (planning and development), Datuk Bakaruddin Othman.

Other committee members are from Putrajaya Corporation, the FT Survey and Mapping Department, Public Works Institute of Malaysia (or Kumpulan Ikram Sdn Bhd), National Soil Erosion Research Centre (Nasec), Public Works Department, Environment, Land and Mineral Office, Drainage and Irrigation Department, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

MM says: No slippery slopes, please.