FWD: Ban on motorised boats to save fireflies

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This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/8/31/nation/8792843 & sec=nation

 

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Tuesday August 31, 2004

Ban on motorised boats to save fireflies

STORY AND PICTURE BY ELAN PERUMAL

 

KUALA SELANGOR: Motorised fishing boats will be banned from plying the 10km

stretch of Sungai Selangor, which harbours the world-famous firefly colony.

 

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has ordered the Kuala

Selangor District Council to impose this ban as an immediate measure to save the

dwindling fireflies.

 

The decision would be tabled at the state executive council meeting tomorrow,

he told a press conference at the Kampung Kuantan firefly sanctuary, near here,

yesterday.

 

He had earlier joined the councillors on an hour-long cruise along the river.

 

 

 

& #147;I saw a few fishing boats with engines plying the stretch and I believe

there were more.

 

& #147;Using such boats are not good as they cause pollution to the river and

its environment, & #148; he said.

 

The trip to the colony by the Mentri Besar and his men followed a directive to

the state government by the Sultan of Selangor to save the firefly colony.

 

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had been unhappy over the attitude of government

officials who pushed their responsibilities to others.

 

Dr Khir said he noticed the river was polluted with domestic waste released by

villagers who stayed along the river.

 

The state government would install two garbage traps at strategic locations

along the river as a long-term solution to the problem, he said.

 

& #147;Perhaps, we can have one under the bridge at the Kuala Selangor-Sabak

Bernam stretch and another near the Kampung Kuantan jetty.

 

& #147;We are also planning to provide garbage bins for the villagers to stop

them from dumping waste into the river. & #148;

 

Dr Khir said the villagers would also be drawn into river cleaning projects, in

a move to make them more responsible and have a sense of belonging to the

rivers.

 

He said he also noticed the river banks had eroded, adding the erosion was due

to natural movements of the earth and not because of development.

 

On other plans, he said the state government would replace existing boats with

new ones to ferry visitors to the firefly sanctuary, to make it the state & #146;s

hottest tourist spot.

 

He said the existing boats were too big and smaller ones would make it lighter

for rowers when they ferry passengers.

 

On claims that the fireflies are dwindling, Dr Khir said their survey showed

that the situation was & #147;not too bad & #148;.

 

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