SHAH ALAM: Local councils in Selangor will no longer have the power to approve any development projects near environmentally sensitive places. 

With immediate effect, a technical development committee chaired by state secretary Datuk Ramlan Othman would decide on approval of development projects close to environmentally sensitive areas. 

Other members of the committee are from the Anti-Corruption Agency and police as well as various state and federal heads of department. 

The new ruling announced by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo yesterday also saw an indefinite freeze on applications for development projects at places such as the Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam Agriculture Park, Templer's Park, Zoo Negara and Paya Indah Wetlands. 

DEFYING RULING: Development work still in progress near the vegetable farm at the Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam Agriculture park on Thursday despite the recent stop-work order by the Selangor Government.

Dr Khir said developers who had received permission to carry out projects near forest reserves, rivers and hills should submit an environmental management plan to the Department of Environment. 

“The task of the technical development committee is to scrutinise, study and give their views to the state government on action to be taken,” said Dr Khir after chairing a meeting with 15 companies involved in projects at the Bukit Cahaya park at the Shah Alam City Hall office here yesterday. 

He said if the committee rejected the application, the state government would reclaim the land. 

Dr Khir said the panel would also make surprise checks to ensure developers adhered to the ruling requiring a 250m buffer zone bordering places like forest reserves.  

He said the problem faced by the Bukit Cahaya park was mainly due to lack of enforcement by the city council.  

“I am not only dissatisfied with the enforcement of the city council but also that of the heads of departments who obviously did not make adequate inspection of the projects surrounding the agriculture park,” he added. 

Tengku Shahruddin Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Lau Ban Tin, who attended the meeting, said his company would comply with the directive by the state government which wanted it to build a retention pond immediately to prevent the possibility of flooding at the park area. 

Lau said his company, which was involved in building 160 bungalow units in Section U10, Shah Alam, was not among the seven developers which carried earthworks without approval from the city council. 

He also refuted the allegation that his company had defied the stop work order issued by the state government.  

Source : The Star  5/3/2005