Saturday June 7, 2008
By Christina Koh
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: It is a hill, which has suffered at least three landslides in the last two years, but this has not stopped a contractor from stripping its summit bare.
Environmentalists in Brinchang are outraged after spotting land-clearing work for what is believed to be a strawberry farm.
They claimed that 10ha of the summit has already been cleared and was looming dangerously close the Cactus Valley nursery, just 200m below it.
Stripped bare: A view of the land clearing works in Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, from the nearby Strawberry Park Resorts.The Department of Environment (DOE) last week recommended to the district office that work be stopped after finding that the contractor had violated several conditions.
Orchid enthusiast Embi Abdullah accused the developer of being an “environmental outlaw”.
“This is dangerous because there are people in homes and businesses further down the slope. What happens if there is another landslide?” he asked.
Environmentalist N. Madi said it was distressing that a primary virgin forest with rare orchids, ginger plants, cinnamon trees and medicinal plants was being destroyed. The area was also home to Imperial pigeons, serow (endangered mountain goats), civets, bear cats and migratory birds, he said.
“Once they’re driven out of their habitat, you will see cases of these animals dying because they’re unable to adapt and find food. I’ve seen it happen,” he added.
A check on the hill last month, which is part of the Ulu Bertam water catchment area, found six backhoes and other heavy machinery working on the summit.
Further down, there were signs of severe land erosion and previous landslides just 300m from the worksite.
The land clearing has since stopped, pending a site investigation site by DOE on Tuesday.
Cameron Highlands district officer Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdul Rani said the project is supposed to cover only 0.8ha and he would investigate the matter.
Guidelines for highland development projects on slopes with less than a 25-degree gradient did not need an environmental impact assessment provided the contractor fulfilled conditions such as placing silt traps, proper and environmentally-friendly drainage and avoiding use of heavy machinery.
A DOE officer said the contractor was found to have cut into the slope beyond a 25-degree gradient, violating a condition imposed by the department.
The contractor also failed to preserve a buffer zone along the edge of the summit and had apparently dumped loose soil on the slope itself.
It is learnt the contractor had only been engaged to clear 0.8ha of land for a farmer but had instead cleared more trees to make way for an access road. -- The Star.
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