Immediate Action Needed On Illegal Land-clearing Along Sungai Bertam – Palanivel

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- The natural resources and environment ministry will send two senior officers to the Cameron Highlands in connection with illegal land clearing along Sungai Bertam.

They are the Perak Land and Mines director-general and environment director-general.

The minister, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the two would discuss the illegal land clearance with the district land office.

He said the district land office, state government and the attorney-general's office should immediately put a stop to such illegal activities on the affected areas.

"Furthermore, land clearence on hilly areas will cause heavy soil erosion and floods," he said in a statement here Monday.

Palanivel was commenting on a news report which stated that the Sungai Bertam tragedy had failed to prevent stubborn farmers from farming along river reserves, buffer zones, roadsides and hilly terrain.

On Oct 23 last year, tonnes of water were released from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam after it hit the dam's maximum threshold limit, following heavy rains. In the ensuing floods which occurred, three people were killed.

Palanivel, who is also Cameron Highlands member of parliament, said illegal land clearing activities at the highlands should cease and that the land office should take stern and immediate action to protect the land.

He said Cameron Highlands was a tourist area but tourist arrivals were dropping due to illegal clearing of land for agriculture activities, which also adversely impacted the environment.

He said, environmentalists were "very angry and annoyed" at the rampant destruction of illegal land activities.

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Immediate Action Needed On Illegal Land-clearing Along Sungai Bertam - Palanivel