KUANTAN, June 12 — No new mining licences were issued after an area of 4,600 hectares in Tasik Chini, Pekan was gazetted as Chini Forest Reserve on March 13, 2019, said Pahang Land and Mines Office (PTG).
Pahang PTG said in a statement today that 14 licences had been issued before the gazettement and out of that number, only two were still operating.
“One licence will expire at the end of this month while the other one at the end of this year.
“The state authorities (PBN) are committed to ensuring that no new licences will be issued in the Tasik Chini area apart from not compromising on the lessee or operator’s failure to comply with the conditions set.
“On June 17, 2020, PBN issued an immediate stop work order to 11 lessees or operators in the Tasik Chini area for non-compliance with the conditions of the mining approval,” according to the statement.
Pahang PTG said there are eight technical agencies from the state and federal governments involved in the assessment of compliance with the conditions of mining activities, including the Mineral and Geoscience Department, state Forestry Department and Department of Environment (DOE).
Others are Irrigation and Drainage Department, Land and District Office, Water Regulatory Body, state Wildlife and National Parks Department and Public Works Department.
In addition, the PBN also issued a standard operating procedure for remedial action due to non-compliance with the conditions for approval of mining activities in Tasik Chini on July 20, 2020, to all lessees or operators involved.
“They are only allowed to operate after all instructions have been complied with, including having to do clear demarcation, replant trees, register the use of machinery, be charged a RM250,000 guarantee bond and provide enforcement team posts.
“The state Forestry Department has carried out rehabilitation work and tree planting from Nov 18, 2019, to Dec 30, 2019, involving an area of 1.2 hectares in the Tasik Chini area through the Joint Rehabilitation Trust Fund at a cost of RM250,000,” according to the statement.
It also said that the water quality of Tasik Chini had been monitored since 2005 with 15 water monitoring stations, and the results found that the water quality was at a clean and safe level for all aquatic life.
The DOE has enforced the order to prepare environmental impact assessment reports starting in 2015 to ensure environmental sustainability, it added. — Bernama
