The Penang Municipal Council has started earmarking areas that can be developed into green lungs in George Town and southwest district in line with its 'green' policy.

Under the policy, sustainable development projects such as forest parks will be created to ensure a higher quality of life for the 500,000 residents on the island.

Pantai Jerjak state assembly person and former councillor Wong Mun Hoe said several areas have been targeted to provide greenery in the middle of residential-cum-commercial areas.

Unlike recreational parks, forest parks will preserve flora and fauna and include ponds for fresh water marine life.

Only one forest park - Youth Park in Waterfall - has been gazetted to date on the island. It is being used for recreational and sports activities.

Pilot project

As a pilot project, the council is developing a metropolitan park in Relau at a cost of RM40.4 million, to be completed within the year. The high cost is due mainly to land acquisition.

"The park will be an ideal place for recreational activities, family outings, sports and sight-seeing. All projects will involve environment-friendly programmes," Wong said.

A forest area in Sepuluh Kongsi, Balik Pulau, has also been earmarked for another project, which will cost RM4.94 million. It will be developed over the next two years.

Over the years, forests and greenery have been ripped out and replaced by houses, commercial complexes and factories. Remaining 'green' areas are limited to those on Penang Hill, Western Hill and Tiger Hill.

The state government has justified the urbanisation process to attain developed state status by 2020 in line with the national goal.

Despite this, Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon and several executive councillors have blamed scarcity of land, rather than industrialisation and urbanisation, for the lack of greenery.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini's Penang-based stringer