The Department of Environment (DOE) is seeking public comments on its Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) study for the proposed sanitary landfill project in Broga, but there are hitches on the ground.

Last Sunday, about 100 people converged at the Semenyih police station, but were told that no feedback forms were available and were therefore unable to submit their views.

With the deadline for submission of written comments to the DOE headquarters in Putrajaya fixed for April 15, those affected are now in a quandary.

"We managed to quickly go through the three-volume DEIA at the station as we cannot afford a copy. At RM880 per set, it is too expensive for Broga villagers," said Alice Lee, a member of the Semenyih/Broga No Incinerator pro-tem action committee.

When contacted today, a DOE spokesperson said he was unaware of the problem of residents unable to submit their feedback at the Semenyih police station but promised to look into it immediately.

"I need to find out what went wrong. I haven't heard of any problems so far but I will check on it.

"Usually, there are no complications over the forms as they are fairly simple. People can write their comments for submission to the department."

The project is a proposed parallel to the controversial mammoth 1,500-tonne incinerator at Broga for which DOE approval has been pending since late last year.

Both proposals are being strongly opposed by local residents on grounds that they are to be sited within a river basin that is the source of water supply for millions of households in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

Lee said although they were no experts on the technical aspects of the projects, they knew that it would be wrong to situate any sort of landfill in a water catchment area.

"We know it is unsuitable for the project to be located in a water catchment area. The arguments are the same as the ones we raised over the proposed incinerator project nearby," she said.

The sanitary landfill is projected to be operational later this year, while the proposed incinerator is scheduled to begin operations in 2007.

The Consumers Association of Penang is also preparing a dossier on the DEIA study for submission to the DOE and is collating comments from local groups and individuals.

Review 'promised'

Expressing frustration over the proposed projects, Lee said the people of Selangor would certainly raise a ruckus if they knew that the landfill and incinerator would be located within the Semenyih dam water catchment area.

"The people most affected by these two projects are not making any noise because they don't know them, no thanks to the media blackout ."

"If only they knew about the high risk of contamination to their water supply, I'm sure they would be up in arms by now."

Lee said she expects the environmental situation to deteriorate further if the two projects are given the green light.

"As it is, there is no water supply every few days each week in Broga, Beranang and Semenyih."

She said that prior to the general election, incumbent Beranang state assemblyperson Ahamad Kuris Md Nor (re-elected) had promised a review of the incinerator project.

"But we all know that election promises are merely that ... empty promises."

Citing a report in the New Straits Times dated July 18 last year, Lee pointed out that then deputy premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had told logging companies and factories to stop polluting the environment.

"He had spoken about heavy sedimentation and toxic discharges. He said such activities could adversely affect lakes and rivers. He stressed on the reduction of the fish population, the risk of water contamination and environmental pollution," Lee said.

Citing another report in Utusan Malaysia dated Jan 2 last year, Lee quoted Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo as denying that the proposed incinerator in Broga was within a water catchment area.

Utusan quoted him as saying that such "false claims" were either personal views or those of outsiders who were ignorant about Broga.