Guest guest Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 ***************************Advertisement*************************** TechCentral http://star-techcentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/8/21/nation/8722736 & sec=nation ________________________ Saturday August 21, 2004 Fireflies fading in Kuala Selangor BY DEVID RAJAH AND TEOH TEIK HOONG KUALA SELANGOR: One of Malaysia & #146;s natural wonders, the fireflies of Kampung Kuantan here, is in danger of becoming extinct and authorities are at a loss on how to save the insects. While the politicians are calling for studies upon studies to come up with solutions, agencies looking after the rivers, environment and parks are pointing fingers at each other as to who should take the first step. It was reported recently that the number of fireflies in the area has dwindled greatly because of pollution. The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) submitted 13 research papers and three proposals to the state government in the past two years warning about this. MNS honorary secretary Associate Prof Dr Mustafa Kamal Abdul Aziz said that for the past two years no one knew the state Sungai Selangor was in because no study or monitoring was done. Dr Mustafa said efforts to address the problem were made more acute because no one wanted to claim ownership of it. & #147;We had submitted our recommendations two years ago to the state government, which had funded the study. & #147;However, nothing has moved since although we have attended meetings after meetings with the authorities on this. & #147;This delay is causing damage to the ecology of the fireflies & #039; habitat, & #148; he said. According to Dr Mustafa, fireflies are used as indicators of the water & #039;s health in Japan and act as an early warning system. According to MNS executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong, the fireflies & #039; habitat was being threatened by various sources of pollution caused by indiscriminate discharge of effluents from upstream industries, oil palm plantations and mills, and sand mining. & #147;Higher salinity in the water and tidal waves aggravate the situation, & #148; he said. Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department director Datuk Wong Kok Fiu, when asked about the river quality, said: & #147;We are in charge of the river and its banks but pollution is under the Selangor Water Management Board and the Department of Environment (DOE). & #148; But Wong admits that his department does not monitor the rivers regularly to check on encroachment of its river reserves. & #147;We have so many rivers in Selangor. It is difficult for us to monitor every single one of them. & #147;We only act if we receive reports or complaints of illegal sand-mining activities or forest clearing along the river reserves, & #148; he said, stressing that the rivers were under the jurisdiction of several agencies. Efforts to contact the state DOE failed. Selangor executive councillor in charge of Multimedia, Environment and New Villages Datuk Ch & #146;ng Toh Eng also admitted that he did not know how to go about saving the fireflies & #039; habitat, although he agreed that the river was heavily polluted. He agreed that the declining number of fireflies and berembang trees was not merely caused by the construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam but also by various other factors such as the sanitary landfill in Batang Berjuntai and industries located along the riverbanks. & #147;The Kuala Selangor District Council was directed a month ago to plant more berembang trees along the river, & #148; he said, adding that he would bring up the matter up to the state exco and stress the urgency to address the problem. Ch & #146;ng said the Selangor Water Management Board should take the lead in co-ordinating this effort to rectify the various problems along Sungai Selangor. District council president Amin Jaya Mohd Din pointed his finger at things happening outside his jurisdiction. & #147;We don & #146;t know what & #146;s happening upstream. The development all along the river may also be contributing factors to the pollution and dwindling population of fireflies, & #148; Amin added. He said the state government was expected to commission an in-depth study to protect the fireflies & #039; habitat along Sungai Selangor. & #147;The council will also do its part to educate the public on the importance of protecting the rivers and their surroundings, & #148; he said when asked about the floating rubbish found in Sungai Selangor. State tourism committee chairman Datuk Dr Lim Thuan Seng recently said that the state would plant more berembang trees along the riverbank to help save the fireflies. On Dr Lim & #039;s proposal, Dr Mustafa said the rehabilitation or conservation of the fireflies & #039; habitat was not as simple as replanting the berembang trees. & #147;We need a holistic and integrated approach to address the source of pollution, & #148; he said, adding that MNS was prepared to lend a helping hand. About 4,000 tourists visit Kampung Kuantan to watch fireflies every month. The facilities there are managed by the district council. <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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