I am writing as a concerned member of public who lives in the Semenyih area. It was announced last week that the authorities will move the mega-incinerator to Semenyih from Kg Bohol near Puchong. I was very surprised that a new site was named almost immediately, even without an apparent show of thought.

Semenyih is one of the last few places in the state where the natural green environment still exists. Just because it is perceived as an area where the residents are less educated (ergo, would not offer any resistance to this project), it does not mean that it is a suitable site environmentally.

According the Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, Nottingham University is setting up their main campus there and this may lead to further development in an area which offers fantastic potential for growth. Any incinerator project would cause the development in an already backward area to grind to a halt.

I believe this relocation presents further threats to our health as the new site is very close to Sungai Semenyih which supplies water to the Jenderam water treatment plant. Toxics like dioxin which cannot be fully eliminated by the plant can seep into the ground and affect the water. Once this gets into the water system, the effects will be disastrous for the public who consume water from Jenderam which supplies areas in southern Selangor. This number can run into the hundreds of thousands and not only affect the 4,000-odd people in the Semenyih area.

Apart from my family, I would also be very worried for our civil servants and policymakers in Putrajaya who consume water from Jenderam.

If the authorities are still adamant about incinerators, a more realistic option would be to build smaller ones away from water catchment areas.

It is high time that we resolved this and many other environmental issues in this country with a higher degree of thought.

Further, Semenyih should be developed as due. After all, it is a satellite of KL, as close to it as Shah Alam is.