Two non-governmental organisations have rejected the detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on logging activities proposed by the state government in Kedah's largest water catchment area.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia and Consumers Association of Penang jointly issued a statement yesterday condemning the EIA for supporting heli-logging within the Ulu Muda, Pedu and Ahning dams.

They said the report, released by the Department of Environment (DOE) last month, was "seriously flawed with many gross inadequacies and shortcomings".

The NGOs are up in arms over the proposed project as the dams affected are said to be major sources of water supply for Kedah, Perlis and Penang. The proposed logging is said to affect 80 percent of Penang's water supply.

The environmental damage may also affect the livelihood of some 63,000 farmers in Kedah.

Phase II omitted

SAM and CAP president SM Mohamed Idris claimed that the report, commissioned by the logging concessionaire, WTK Holdings Bhd, only covered Phase I of the timber concession, an area of 72,934 ha.

The logging concession, which will be carried out by helicopter and is touted to be 'environmentally sound', is for a period of 10 years and will be implemented in two phases, covering a total area of 122,798 ha.

"This (omission of Phase II) is a very major deficiency, as it is imperative that the cumulative impacts of the project in its entirety ought to be considered and not only a part of the project," said Mohamed Idris.

He said the report does not satisfy the legal requirements of a detailed EIA as no quantification was done of the economic value of the ecological functions of the forest reserves.

He also criticised the scope of the report, saying that it was inadequate as it did not address the concerns of other stakeholders like the local community, farmers and water authorities who depended on the the water from the catchment areas.

Other concerns highlighted by the NGOs include the project seeking blanket approval to log the area regardless of ecological sensitivity and risks.

According to the NGOs, the report did not consider the recent guidelines from the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry that no development be allowed in highland areas which are above 35 percent slope.

Fewer trees better

When contacted recently, a source from the consultant company, Tuju Jauh Sdn Bhd, who conducted the EIA, said that the report focused on Phase I as it was asked to do so by WTK.

The source, who declined to be named, defended the report, saying that it had adequately covered all areas of concerns regarding the massive logging activities.

He said the company would not have supported WTK if not for heli-harvesting as a method of logging.

The source also dismissed the possibility of any disruption in water supply to the three states and incidence of drought.

"Drought often occurs, with or without this project. It won't hurt water supply, in fact with fewer trees, water is better retained in the soil," said the source.

"It is not a problem even to harvest up to 50 percent of the forest. What is important is how the harvesting is done. Heli-harvesting will cause only minimal damage to the environment compared with the conventional method," he added.

The DOE has displayed the EIA since last month to seek feedback from the public as required by the law.

Subject to an environment impact assessment, logging will be carried out by a joint-venture company formed by Yayasan Islam Kedah, a state government subsidiary, and Sibu-based WTK.

Both parties, with WTK having an 80 percent stake, have entered into an agreement to secure and develop the project, costing some RM2.7 billion.