The detailed environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the proposed mega-incinerator project in Broga, near Semenyih, has finally been completed.

It was submitted to the Department of Environment (DOE) late last week, sources told malaysiakini today.

The EIA report was to have been released for public scrutiny in May, but this has been postponed several times.

Notification for public feedback on the report, which has to be submitted in writing to the DOE within a month, will be advertised in major newspapers next week.

Following this, the report and public feedback will be evaluated by the department's technical panel before the final report is released, expected to be in October.

The panel comprises technical and environmental experts from the local universities and private consultancy firms.

Integrated project

Last week, a Selangor government official said the EIA report would be out in October. His statement gave rise to suspicion of a backdoor attempt to tailor the report to meet new requirements of the controversial multi-billion ringgit project.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry is in the process of obtaining additional land for the project, ostensibly to avoid hill-cutting during construction.

The incinerator is part of an integrated solid waste management proposal aimed at handling disposal of an increasing volume of household waste in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

However, the government has been evading public and media queries over details of the project, several aspects of which have not been fully explained.

Early last month, Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting gave an assurance that the government is probing into the track record of Ebara Corporation, the Japanese contractor engaged to design and build the giant 1,500-tonne plant.

However, there has been no response to follow-up queries by the residents' anti-incinerator committee, which has been faxing letters to him daily. It has plans to initiate legal action against the government for breaching several laws and procedures.

Local residents and opposition parties have been demanding that the government scraps the project, saying the social, health, environmental and economic risks are too high to ignore.