NREB confirms giving army the green light to proceed
KUCHING: The Natural Resources and Environment Board ( NREB) confirmed that they had given the Royal Army Engineers Regiment the green light to proceed with the Ba Kelalan-Bario Road project even though the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report was still pending their approval.
“I have checked with my men. We have received the report and we will send men to verify on the ground and conduct site visit before giving approval,” NREB controller Peter Sawal told The Borneo Post on Thursday evening through SMS (short messaging service).
He was responding to a query about the status of the EIA Report following complaints from Ba Kelalan residents about the contamination of the Sungai Muda water catchment area by the road’s ongoing construction.
Peter told The Borneo Post that the Royal Army Engineers Regiment was allowed to commence work even though the report was still pending approval as it was provided for under the law.
Nevertheless, the contractor still had to comply with NREB guidelines. “... the report has been submitted and since the project has already started and have to meet the deadline, we give them early commence ... as allowed under the law. They are supposed to comply with our guidelines pending
I have checked with my men. We have received the Report and we will send men to verify on the ground and conduct site visit before giving approval. Peter Sawal, NREB controller
approval of the report.”
Peter’s reply confirmed what Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong told The Borneo Post earlier this week that the contractor had decided to continue with the original project alignment based on the EIA outcome, despite ongoing protests from local residents. Construction of the RM42 million road started on Oct 1 last year and is expected to be completed by September 2014.
The project is being carried out by the army under the Blue Ocean Strategy, an extension of the army’s Jiwa Murni programme.
In an exclusive report yesterday, The Borneo Post highlighted the plight of about 2,000 people living in Punan Kelalan, Long Muda, Long Kumap, Long Langai, Long Lemutut and Buduk Nur who have been forced to drink, bathe and carry out farming activities with filthy and muddy water since construction work began last year.
The local government clinic and primary school SK Ba Kelalan have also not been spared.
Locals are worried for their health and safety as well as the long-term implications of consuming tainted water.
Earlier this month, about 200 residents initiated legal proceedings against the contractor to halt construction work in order to protect their water catchment areas as it is the main source of their drinking water and for their farming activities.
Last year, it was reported that a group of villagers had proposed that the road be built through Belingi-Lepo Bunga-Bario instead as it would not only protect the Sungai Muda water catchment area, but is also a more sustainable long term solution as it would improve access to fertile areas for farming purposes.