NILAI, Oct 6 — The Negri Sembilan police, together with Bukit Aman, are tracking down perpetrators responsible for Sungai Batang Benar pollution, here, which also caused two water treatment plants (LRAs) in Selangor to cease operation on Sunday (Oct 4).

The state’s deputy police chief SAC Che Zakaria Othman said that this was following the National Water Services Commission (SPAN)’s report yesterday. The investigation is being carried out under Section 430 of Penal Code, which imposes a sentence of imprisonment up to 30 years or a fine or both, if convicted.

He said that from early information gathered the suspect is not from Negri Sembilan, and the police are confident that they would be able to detain the suspect soon.

"Once detained, we will bring the suspect to Negri Sembilan for further action,” he told reporters here today, after monitoring the bush area at Jalan Emas in Nilai Industrial Park, which was identified as the main location of the pollution source.

Meanwhile Negri Sembilan State Health, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman S. Veerapan, who was also present, said that the analysis result of the samples taken at the location would be known in the near future.

"To date, we are still not sure whether the waste is scheduled waste or non-scheduled waste, and we have taken samples to be analysed by the Chemical Department.

"If it is scheduled waste, we will carry out cleaning and dispose of the waste at Bukit Pelandok’s Kualiti Alam Waste Management Centre, and if it is non-scheduled (waste), it will be disposed of at the domestic waste facility here,” he said.

He also added that cleaning works have been carried out at the location by Seremban City Council and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation. — Bernama