Residents of six villages around Bukit Singkir in Yan, Kedah, want an immediate stop to the quarrying of stones on the hillside, to prevent loss of life and property in rainy weather.

On June 25 and 26, the villagers had experienced flash floods which they said was for the first time in 40 years. The action committee has attributed this to both the quarrying works and recent logging operations in the vicinity.

The villages, comprising some 200 houses, are situated at the foot of Bukit Singkir, within the Gunung Jerai forest reserve. About 1,500 people live in the area.

Action committee secretary Abdul Aziz Man told malaysiakini that the quarry operator started work earlier this year, several weeks before logging operations were completed in April.

"We want the (quarrying) work stopped immediately. It is risky to the environment and to the villagers," he said.

Abdul Aziz said the villagers are especially concerned because the floods in June had caused damage. One house owner has estimated the repairs to his house to cost about RM5,000.

Prior to the incident, the villagers had highlighted their plight on June 10 through several newspapers, which had revealed the names of the companies involved in the project.

"Lawyers for the quarry company sent me a letter demanding RM500,000 in compensation for the 'negative publicity' allegedly suffered by the company," said Abdul Aziz.

"The flash flood has proved our case...the company has not followed up on its demand."

'Guidelines ignored'

The committee also claimed that the work has breached policy guidelines as set out in the Yan District Structure Plan, which was released on June 3, 1997.

The structure plan stipulates, among other things, that Gunung Jerai is to be set aside as a forest reserve area, said Abdul Aziz.

"How can a quarry be approved at Bukit Singkir if this is supposed to be part of a proposed forest reserve? What has happened to the plan? This should be against the policy of the state forestry department," he said.

Abdul Aziz said the committee has appealed to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ( photo ), in a letter dated Aug 11, to issue a 'stop work' order. The letter was signed by committee chairperson Jamil Mohd Ali.

He said the committee had no other choice since the Kedah Department of Environment (DOE) has yet to act on the matter, despite the risks posed to villagers.

Abdul Aziz said the action committee's request to the state DOE to carry out an environment impact assessment (EIA) study was rejected on grounds that quarrying on slopes less than 25 degrees in gradient does not require this.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) education research officer Anuar Mahmud, who is advising the action committee on the issue, said however that an EIA study is a legal requirement because quarrying is being carried out within three kilometres of the villages.

"They will be affected by the project sooner or later," he said when contacted in Penang.

'Mere propaganda'

Kedah DOE director Mohamed Ishak Thani wrote to the department's headquarters in Putrajaya last month, explaining that the measures taken by the quarry operator to prevent environmental pollution and erosion were satisfactory.

State Forestry Department director Wan Yusoff Wan Ahmad, in a letter to SAM, said approval has been obtained to exclude the area from the proposed forest reserve. A copy of both letters was made available to malaysiakini .

When contacted today, the quarry operator denied that any significant damage had resulted to the houses during the flood, or that this was the result of the work in progress.

Husaini Yaakob, managing director of two companies involved - Kemelong Sdn Bhd and Sankojaya Construction Sdn Bhd - dismissed the action committee's claims.

"Our insurance company has surveyed the area. The villagers stand to be compensated up to RM2 million if there was damage to their property, but the insurer has found no grounds (for payment)," he said.

He also disputed the villagers' claim that the area has not flooded in 40 years, saying that area "floods every year".

"It's just propoganda. These are merely opposition members looking for an opportunity to blast the (state) government. This project was commissioned by the state government," he added.

Officials of the departments of environment and forestry could not be reached for comment today.