Malaysia: Wild monkeys 'invading' Ijok, Bukit Melawati

New Straits Times 22 Nov 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: Troops of wild monkeys are invading human homes and harassing people as a result of deforestation, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Noting that the primates have lost their fear of humans and become real pests, Datuk Seri Irmohizam Ibrahim (BN-Kuala Selangor) said they are causing anxiety to residents in his constituency, notably in Ijok and Bukit Melawati, with their aggressive behavior.

He said it is also worrying that the monkeys, a familiar sight for Malaysians but not always welcome, have been breeding at a fast pace.

“Some of the female monkeys gave birth to more than seven infants.

“Residents in affected areas have complained that the infants have been sleeping in human homes,” he said during the debate on the 2018 Budget at the committee stage for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Irmohizam said the monkeys move into housing areas as their forest habitat are dwindling.

He urged the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to help look into the matter.

Perhilitan had set up traps, including metal cages, and placed food in them to lure monkeys which invade human dwellings.

The Wildlife Department's move has invited the ire of animal lovers.

Perhilitan had also advised the public to avoid feeding monkeys as they could become aggressive.

The department warned that monkeys are carriers of zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transferred from animals to humans), and therefore one needs to take preventive measures by avoiding the animals.

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India: Rehabilitating seagrass in Gulf of Mannar

The Times of India 22 Nov 17;

Chennai: Concerned at the near decimation of seagrass off the state's coast, researchers have begun a vital rehabilitation programme. They planted saplings in a 200sqm area off Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts, part of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, between March and May this year and are thrilled to find that about 75% of the colourful plants "are now growing well".

Seagrass communities, vital for the survival of the marine ecosystem, including coral reefs, once covered more than 60,000 hectares in the Gulf of Mannar, but various marine activities almost sounded their death knell and the efforts now being taken seem minuscule given the magnitude of the destruction.

The damage has not been limited to Tamil Nadu, with researchers saying as much of 35 % of seagrass beds in the country have been destroyed in the past 35 years. Besides, very little study has been done on the plants.

After taking up the three-month rehabilitation project, for which the state forest department sanctioned Rs 4 lakh for each of the two districts, Organisation for Marine Conservation, Awareness and Research (OMCAR) scientists, who possessed scuba diving skills, began extensive fieldwork and planted the saplings.

OMCAR founder V Balaji told TOI the 400 sprigs of seagrass species Cymodocea serrulata and Syringodium isoetifolium were planted in each square metre field formed by burying PVC frames and tied with jute ropes. "We have been monitoring the growth of the transplanted seagrass (as they have vegetative reproduction) periodically.

Last month, the buried PVC frames were taken out of the sea to prevent pollution," he said.

While admitting that some of the frames had been damaged by fishing nets, Balaji, however, appeared optimistic that the rehabilitation project would flourish and help convert dead seagrass sites into healthy, thriving beds in the near future.

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Phase 2 of deep tunnel sewer system designed to last 100 years

Liyana Othman Channel NewsAsia 20 Nov 17;

SINGAPORE: The second phase of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) will incorporate innovative features in order for the infrastructure to last 100 years, national water agency PUB said on Monday (Nov 20).

The features include embedded fibre optic cables for remote monitoring; air jumpers to prevent odorous air from escaping into the surroundings; and additional linings to protect against corrosion from bacteria and other micro-organisms.

This was announced at a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday to commemorate the beginning of construction for DTSS Phase 2, which aims to create a network of 40km of deep tunnels and 60km of link sewers.

When completed in 2025, the 100km of tunnels and sewers - equivalent to the length of about 1,100 football fields - will extend the deep tunnel system to cover the western part of Singapore, including the downtown area and major upcoming developments such as Tengah Town and Jurong Lake District.

“The construction of the conveyance system for DTSS Phase 2 will pose a new set of exciting challenges for us, as we look forward to dig deep to navigate through a variety of ground conditions in the Jurong Formation as well as tunnel beneath existing underground infrastructure and even under the sea”, said the director of DTSS Phase 2 Yong Wei Hin, at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said planning for DTSS started in the 1990s "with a recognition that this is a costly but critical investment that we needed to make to strengthen our long term water security to benefit Singaporeans for generations to come”. DTSS Phase 2 is a S$6.5 billion project, with deep tunnels and link sewers alone costing about S$2.3 billion.

The DTSS Phase 2 conveyance system comprises the South Tunnel, which will transport domestic used water, the Industrial Tunnel for non-domestic used water and associated link sewers, which will largely run under the Ayer Rajah Expressway, as well as underwater.

The tunnels in phase two will connect to the existing ones in the first phase, which is currently serving eastern Singapore. When the entire project is completed in 2025, the whole island will be served by the DTSS.

The DTSS is the nation’s way of collecting and transporting used water from the whole of Singapore to three water reclamation plants - Changi, Kranji and soon, Tuas – for treatment.

The water is then treated and purified to become NEWater, or discharged into the sea.

INNOVATIVE FEATURES FOR A LONGER LIFESPAN

According to the plans, the deep tunnels will be lined with two layers to protect against corrosion, particularly from bacteria and other micro-organisms, as well as gaseous fumes in the harsh sewage environment. For underwater tunnels, there is an additional waterproof membrane to ensure water-tightness.

Fibre optic cables will also be embedded in the concrete lining so as to enable remote monitoring of the tunnels’ structural integrity without the need for physical inspection. PUB said this is especially important when there are construction works in the vicinity.

In the event a physical inspection or repairs are needed, gates will be lowered down vertical shafts to temporarily isolate that part of the tunnel. This makes it dry and safe for workers to carry out inspections. During this time, the incoming used water will be diverted to the link sewer network, before it rejoins the tunnel downstream.

DTSS phase 2 will include innovative features to ensure a 100-year design life.

The second phase of the DTSS will be the first project in Singapore to use air jumpers, whose aim is to push odorous air rising from the deep tunnel back down. The gas will then flow to Odour Control Facilities - which are located away from residential areas - treated, and then released. The air jumpers will also help cut down the number of OFCs.

Once DTSS phase 2 is completed, the existing water reclamation plants at Ulu Pandan and Jurong, as well as pumping stations, will be shut down. This will enable about 214 football fields of land to be freed up for development, PUB said.

“The DTSS is a more cost-effective and sustainable way of meeting Singapore’s used water needs and securing NEWater supply for the future, than simply renewing and expanding the existing conventional used water infrastructure”, added Mr Yong.

It’s also one way to deal with the challenges posed by climate change, like prolonged dry seasons and unpredictable weather patterns, said Mr Masagos.

“It is therefore critical to augment our water sources by reclaiming water so that it can be used again and again, in an endless cycle”, he said, adding that Phase 2 of DTSS will further boost Singapore’s NEWater supply.
Source: CNA/mz


Construction begins for S$6.5 billion, 100km superhighway for used water
SIAU MING EN Today Online 20 Nov 17;

SINGAPORE — Construction work began on Monday (Nov 20) on a 100km underground “superhighway” to transport used water to water reclamation plants, which when completed in 2025, allows 83ha of land to be freed up.

This second phase of the deep tunnel sewerage system (DTSS), estimated to cost S$6.5 billion, will serve the western part of Singapore, including the downtown area and upcoming major developments such as Tengah Town and Jurong Lake District.

It will run largely under the Ayer Rajah Expressway, starting from Keppel Road, crossing undersea at Tuas Bay, and end at the upcoming Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, where a new NEWater factory will be built.

The sloping deep tunnels of the DTSS convey used water from homes and industries by gravity to various water reclamation plants. The used water is then treated and purified into NEWater or discharged into the sea.

When completed, the deep tunnels in the second phase will be connected to those built in the earlier phase — completed in 2008 — to serve the eastern part of Singapore, and the public sewer network.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, held at the first tunneling shaft for this phase of the project in Penjuru Road, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore’s NEWater supply will be boosted to up to 55 per cent of the water demand here, when the DTSS is fully up and running with the completion of the second phase.

Currently, NEWater meets 40 per cent of the Republic’s water demand.

Mr Masagos called the DTSS a “key strategic asset” in enhancing Singapore’s water security. Singapore has also experienced unpredictable weather patterns and can expect dry seasons to worsen with climate change.

“It is therefore critical to augment our water sources by reclaiming water so that we can use it again and again, in an endless cycle,” he added.

The existing water reclamation plants at Ulu Pandan and Jurong, and the intermediate pumping stations can also be progressively phased out, once the second phase is completed.

Combined with the land freed from phase one of the project, the DTSS will halve the amount of land taken up by used water infrastructure, from about 300ha in the 1990s to 150ha in the long term.

The total size of the land freed up for higher value development is equivalent to about 214 football fields.

In response to TODAY’s queries on redevelopments on land freed up by the first phase of the DTSS, a spokesperson of the Singapore Land Authority said the site formerly occupied by the Seletar Water Reclamation Plant has been turned into Seletar Aerospace Park.

Where Kim Chuan Water Reclamation Plant stood is being used for industrial development — Defu Industrial City — and for the development of Integrated Construction and Prefabrication Hubs, she said.

The parcel that Bedok Water Reclamation Plant sat on is zoned for industrial and utility uses, she added.

Director of DTSS Phase 2 Yong Wei Hin told reporters that tunneling over 100km of land in Jurong could be challenging, given the geology of the area. There are a lot of sedimentary rock and cavities, which are not ideal for tunneling, he noted.

Nineteen Tunnel Boring Machines will be used to dig at depths of between 35m and 55m below ground and under the sea, which is deeper than some of the underground MRT lines.

Advanced technologies will also be used in the operations and maintenance of the tunnels, said a spokesperson from national water agency PUB.

For instance, the deep tunnels will be lined to protect them against corrosion from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Sections undersea will also have an additional water-tight membrane. These features are expected to make the tunnels last 100 years.

Along the tunnel above ground, devices called air jumpers will be installed to push odorous air rising from the tunnel to odour control facilities downstream and away from residential areas.

Singapore’s water comes from four “national taps”. About half is imported from Johor, Malaysia under two bilateral agreements. The first one expired in 2011 and the second, signed in 1962, will lapse in 2061.

Singapore has had dry weather and Johor has also experienced water supply issues in recent years.

The rest come from NEWater, local catchment areas and desalination. By 2020, the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant, the first large-scale desalination plant that can treat both seawater and freshwater, will begin operations. In that same year, a fifth desalination plant on Jurong Island will also open.


Work starts on $6.5b deep underground tunnels to transport used water, freeing up land above for redevelopment
Samantha Boh Straits Times 20 Nov 17;

SINGAPORE - Phase two of construction for a $10 billion underground sewage superhighway, one of the world’s largest, started on Monday (Nov 20).

The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, which will be the conduit for all used water islandwide, will boost water recycling and free up space in land-scarce Singapore.

When completed in 2025, the sloping infrastructure of giant pipes will harness gravity to channel used water in the western parts of the island to a new water reclamation plant in Tuas.

Phase 2 of the project by water agency PUB, which costs $6.5 billion, will also free up an additional 83ha of land - about the size of 116 football fields - currently housing the Ulu Pandan and Jurong Water Reclamation Plants, about 70 pumping stations and many more sewage treatment plants.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli marked the start of construction at a ground-breaking ceremony held in Penjuru Road in Jurong East.

He said: "We have experienced how unpredictable weather patterns can be, and we expect dry seasons to worsen with climate change. It is therefore critical to augment our water sources by reclaiming water, so it can be used again and again, in an endless cycle."

DTSS Phase 2 will boost Singapore’s Newater supply, he added.

DTSS will eventually channel all of the island’s used water to water reclamation plants in Changi, Kranji and Tuas, where it will be treated and purified to either produce Newater, or be discharged into the sea.

The tunnels, which sit under the Republic's railway network and above its electricity grid, slope downwards towards the three plants as they are dug at a gradient.

Phase 1, which cost $3.4 billion, was completed in 2008. It serves the eastern parts of Singapore, channelling used water to the Kranji and Changi Water Reclamation Plants.

DTSS Phase 2 will stretch 30km across the western part of Singapore, starting under Keppel Road, at 35m below ground, following the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) all the way to Tuas Road, where it will be 55m below ground. It will also include a separate 10km tunnel in Tuas for industrial used water.

PUB has appointed five contractors to design and build the tunnels, including home-grown company Koh Brothers Eco Engineering.

The system will also comprise 60km of link sewers, which will convey used water from existing sewerage network to the DTSS.

The deep tunnels and link sewers alone will cost about $2.3 billion.

The 30cm thick tunnels in DTSS Phase 2 will be constructed with several safety features.

They will be lined with a special concrete and high density polyethylene (a type of plastic), which protect against corrosion, particularly from bacteria and other microorganisms, and the gaseous fumes from sewage. Sections under the sea will have an additional waterproof membrane layer.

Fibre optic cables will be embedded in the concrete lining, which will be used to monitor the structural integrity of the tunnels remotely, and detects things such as cracks.

Related Story
PUB awards first set of contracts to build Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (Phase 2)

There will be 18 shafts, which will allow human access. Each will come with gates that can be lowered to isolate certain sections of the tunnels for repair works.

Air jumpers, essentially giant fans, within the tunnels will be used to direct sewage fumes to four odour control facilities.

With these features, the tunnels are expected to last 100 years.

Mr Yong Wei Hin, director of DTSS Phase 2 at PUB, said the construction "will pose a new set of exciting challenges for us".

"There are a lot of sedimentary rocks and cavities along the way, which is not ideal for tunneling," he added.

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Malaysia: Johor water pollution - Factory pays heavy price for folly

mohd farhaan shah The Star 20 Nov 17;

KLUANG: The Johor Department of Environment (DOE) has suspended the licence of a processing factory for three months after it caused ammonia pollution at the Sembrong Barat dam here.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the notice was given after the factory failed to manage its waste well.

Besides suspending the factory licence, the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) will be imposing a maximum compound of RM250,000 on the factory, he added.

Ayub said this after conducting a surprise spot check together with various enforcement agencies at Batu 3 along Jalan Batu Pahat here yesterday.

Ayub also said the state government would take stern action against any quarter found to cause pollution in Johor rivers.

Meanwhile, SAJ Ranhil production and distribution operation manager Elias Ismail said about 200,000 users have had their water supply restored in stages since yesterday morning.

This is the fourth time and the second within a span of a month that water in Johor has been affected by ammonia pollution.

Earlier this month, the state government also ordered a poultry farm and a chicken manure processing factory in Layang-Layang to stop operation after high ammonia content was found in Sungai Johor that caused a shutdown of water supply to some 1.8 million consumers.


Johor Govt to take stern action against river polluters
nelson benjamin The Star 21 Nov 17;

JOHOR BARU: The state government plans to come down hard on polluters in an effort to safeguard the state's water resources.

Johor Public Works and Rural and Regional Development committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said that the state would continue to impose heavy fines on those who pollute.

"We have already started using our relevant laws and enactments to impose fines of up to RM300,000 on those who pollute," he said referring to two major ammonia pollution cases in Sg Johor and Kluang.

One involved a fertiliser processing company and the other an oil palm company.

He was speaking at the closing of SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd awareness programme involving secondary schools statewide.

Some 18,000 students have benefited from the programme which has been around since 2010.

This year, some 4,400 students were selected from 33 schools statewide.

Among the activities carried out include water stories, tips to conserve water, ways to test raw water, awareness talks, workshops and others.


No mercy for polluters
nelson benjamin The Star 23 Nov 17;

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The state government plans to come down hard on polluters in an effort to safeguard the state’s water resources.

Johor public works and rural and regional development committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the state would continue to impose heavy fines on those who pollute the rivers.

“We have already started using relevant laws and enactments to impose fines of up to RM300,000 on those who pollute,” he said, referring to two major ammonia pollution cases in Sg Johor and Kluang.

One involved a fertiliser processing company and the other an oil palm company.

He said this at the closing of SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd awareness programme involving secondary schools statewide.

SAJ Ranhill chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Faizal Abd Rahman expressed hope that the government’s recent drastic move to impose hefty fines would create awareness among polluters to refrain from the act.

He also said there were no major water disruptions this year compared with last year.

“Those with retention ponds need to ensure effluents are properly treated as this can be washed into the rivers during rainy season,” he said.

He urged the public to be alert and not throw rubbish into the waterways as this can also lead to pollution.

Meanwhile, UTM Water Research Alliance dean of research Prof Dr Zulkifli Yusof stressed on the importance of protecting Sg Johor as an important fresh water resource to both Malaysia and Singapore, especially with its water quality slowly deteriorating.

The river, stretching 2,636sq km, can easily be polluted by sludge, agricultural waste, mining and sand extraction.

Prof Zulkifli said it was timely for the state government to look into having an integrated river basin management for Sg Johor.

He also suggested the government give more clout to the State Water Regulatory Body, including upgrading them to an authority with more manpower.

Meanwhile, on the SAJ Ranhill school event, some 18,000 students have benefited from the programme which has been held since 2010.

This year some 4,400 students were selected from 33 schools statewide.

Among the activities carried out include water stories, tips to conserve water, ways to test raw water, awareness talks, workshops and others.

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Malaysia: Man arrested for having wildlife meat at restaurant

The Star 21 Nov 17;

KOTA KINABALU: A restaurant owner has been arrested for unlawful possession of wildlife meat in her premises in Telupid yesterday Monday.

Chang Chew Ha, 57, was nabbed by wildlife officials at about 1.45pm during a raid.

Wildlife officials also seized several types of meat believed to be deer, wild cats, fox, wild boar and freshwater turtle (labi-labi) in the raid.

On another matter, firemen responded to a call from Tuaran Hospital about a mercury spill.

Meanwhile, a Frenchman broke his legs after falling about 3m from a waterfall in Kionsom, Inanam, near here.

The man was believed to have slipped and landed on some rocks in the 4.30pm incident.

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Malaysia: Kemaman NGO moving mountains to save endangered river terrapin

ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 19 Nov 17;

CHUKAI: Each year, the eggs of river terrapins, a critically-endangered freshwater turtle species, are saved from human consumption.

Credit should go to non-governmental organisations like the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS), without which the species would probably be extinct.

The river terrapin, known scientifically as batagur affinis, is listed as a Totally Protected species in the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

A total of 300 terrapin hatchlings were recently released into Sungai Kemaman through a collaboration between the Society and villagers of Kampung Pasir Gajah.

TCS co-founder Dr Chen Pelf Nyok said that members of the Pasir Gajah village welfare and security committee (J3K) assisted in the symbolic release, which was held for the sixth year running.

“This year, a total of 760 eggs were collected for incubation, compared to 348 eggs collected last year.

“The (rise) was due to increased cooperation from the villagers of Kampung Pasir Gajah, who have been working very hard to protect river terrapin eggs at two river banks along Sungai Kemaman,” she said.

Dr Pelf Nyok added that a total of 440 river terrapin hatchlings were produced, and all hatchlings were reared for three months by a local villager hired by the project.

“Eventually, we managed to release a total of 300 river terrapin hatchlings into Sungai Kemaman,” she said.

As part of the terrapin release programme, TCS and the Pasir Gajah villagers organised several activities that included aerobics, a public awareness exhibition, sukan rakyat, a blood donation drive and a health screening.

Dr Pelf Nyok said several non-governmental organisations and turtle conservation enthusiasts participated in the exhibition.

They included the the Malaysian Nature Society, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia and the Juara Turtle Project of Pulau Tioman, Pahang.

“In peninsular Malaysia, river terrapins have been found in Kedah, Perak and Terengganu. No such species has been found in Sabah and Sarawak,” said Dr Pelf Nyok.

She added that the river terrapin conservation project in Kemaman was initiated in 2011, with the collaboration of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, TCS and the Kampung Pasir Gajah’s J3K.

“To date, 4,523 eggs have been saved from human consumption, and 2,701 river terrapins have been released into Sungai Kemaman.” she said.

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Malaysia: 17 mln turtle hatchlings released to sea

Borneo Post 21 Nov 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The RM1 million allocation for turtle conservation under the State Budget 2018 reflects the State Government’s seriousness in conservation efforts, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.

Masidi said an estimated 17 million turtle hatchlings have been released to the sea since the government became involved in turtle conservation.

He said this at a press conference after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and Sabah Parks Board of Trustees yesterday.

Masidi said the signing of the MoU will enable Sabah Parks to receive continuous guidance in its publications from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, besides enhancing the cooperation between the two bodies in terms of the quality and types of books produced.

He said the cooperation between DBP and Sabah Parks have been established since 2004. To date, eight books authored by Sabah Parks staff have been published under the guidance of DBP.

The two bodies are also in the process of producing an encyclopedia on Sabah Parks that will enlighten readers on the biodiversity, conservation efforts and uniqueness in all the parks.

Masidi hoped that the natural treasures under Sabah Parks could be shared with Malaysians and even the international community through the publication of such books.

He said Sabah Parks was among the most successful government agencies not only in book publications, but also in terms of efforts to expand its activities on land and sea.

Sabah Parks is actively expanding the scope of marine parks to be gazetted, the latest being the Tun Mustapha Park in Kudat which is the largest marine park in Malaysia with an area close to one million hectares.

To date, Masidi said seven percent of the seas in Sabah, equivalent to two million hectares, have been gazetted as marine parks.

“Our goal is to increase (marine parks) to 10 percent as recommended by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),” Masidi said.

All these efforts were undertaken to achieve balance in progress and environmental conservation, he explained.

“This is clearly reflected in the (State) Budget 2018 by the Chief Minister, that we want conservation efforts and physical development to be carried out in parallel. Meaning to say that we can be a progressive state but also maintains the beauty and wonder of the environment in Sabah,” Masidi said.

The MoU was signed between Sabah Parks Board of Trustees chairman Datuk Seri Dr Tengku Zainal Adlin Bin Tengku Mahamood and DBP deputy director-general (policy) Datuk Haji Abang Sallehuddin bin Abg Shokeran.

Also present were Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministers Datuk Pang Yuk Ming and Datuk Kamarlin Ombi, and Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais.

Sabah Parks, Dewan Bahasa sign MoU on marine park publications
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 20 Nov 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will expand its means of showcasing its marine parks through special publications, state Culture, Tourism and Environment minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said on Monday.

He was speaking during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sabah Parks and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).

"Both have been working closely since 2004 and have published eight books (of high quality).

"(Currently), they are finishing an encyclopaedia on the biodiversity of the parks, and the agency's efforts in conserving the area," he added.

Previous publications by DBP and Sabah Parks include Rafflesia Bunga Terbesar Di Dunia by Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais in 2004; Lotong Merah by Dr Maklarin Lakim; and Biologi dan Ekology Rusa Sambar Sabah by Fred Tuh – the latter two of which received the Chief Minister's Awards.

Also present at the MoU signing was assistant state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming; Sabah Parks chairman of Board of Trustees Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin Tengku Mohamood Jamili; and DBP deputy director-general (policy) Datuk Abang Sallehuddin Abang Shokran.

Masidi added that Sabah Parks has done a good job of overseeing the parks under its purview.

Sabah has so far gazetted about two million hectares of marine park, which is equivalent to seven per cent of the state’s sea area.

Sabah Parks has also released about 17 million baby turtles out to sea.

Read more!

Indonesia Should be Proud of Coral Reefs Health Index

NetralNews 20 Nov 17;

JAKARTA, NETRALNEWS.COM – The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) affirms the Indonesian Coral Reef Health Index is very useful for the management of coral reefs and other related ecosystems.

LIPI through the Center for Oceanographic Research (P2O) launched the Indonesian Coral Reef Health Index as an important standard for managing the world's largest archipelago reefs.

Head of Task Implementer of LIPI Bambang Subiyanto, said this index can determine whether Indonesia’s coral reef ecosystem is healthy or not. Only a few countries in the world already have a coral reef health index so Indonesia as one of the few countries in the world to have such indexe, should be proud of this.

Head of LIPI P2O Dirhamsyah said the index is based on data collected intensively by P2O since more than 20 years ago, at the start of the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program (COREMAP) in 1999.

In 2017, LIPI was entrusted to continue the Phase III COREMAP Program which will end in December 2020. The program is financed by the World Bank and the GEF and will be more characterized by institutional capacity building activities in the field of research and monitoring of coastal ecosystems (reefs coral, seagrass and mangrove), as well as data and information management capacity, both nationally and regionally.

"The results achieved from COREMAP activities from phase I to phase III are now being utilized by stakeholders, among others, to update data and information on the health condition of coral reefs and sea grasses throughout Indonesian waters that are conducted annually," said Dirhamsyah, Monday (20/11/2017).

Meanwhile, in addition to the launch of the Indonesian Coral Reef Index, LIPI P2O also released various products, such as the launch of three books entitled Mangrove in Indonesia, Absorbing Carbon, and 5 Decades of LIPI in Jakarta Bay. The books written by the researchers of LIPI P2O are the result of research conducted by LIPI in the last few decades.

For example, the book titled 5 Decades of LIPI in Jakarta Bay is the summation of all LIPI research activities for more than five decades conducted in Jakarta Bay.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 20 Nov 17

Singapore got sea turtles! Learn more at Rushan's talk on 24 Nov (Fri)
wild shores of singapore

Butterfly of the Month - November 2017
Butterflies of Singapore

Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica) @ Upper Bukit Timah Road
Monday Morgue

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NParks razed vegetated plot in Bukit Batok for public safety but some experts are concerned

Audrey Tan Straits Times 19 Nov 17;

SINGAPORE - A once-vegetated plot of land opposite the Bukit Batok Nature Park was last month razed by the National Parks Board (NParks) over public safety concerns.

The plot of land had been covered with Albizia trees, which are considered vulnerable to storms and more prone to falling due to their brittle wood structure and shallow roots. NParks is now replanting the plot with native plants.

But the move has drawn concerns from conservationists, who worry that a blanket removal of vegetation could result in rarer species being cut down too, and also have an impact on wildlife.

Environmental consultant Tony O'Dempsey said: "I support the removal of potentially dangerous trees and I applaud the move to immediately replant the areas.

"However I would like to see a more analytical approach to tree removal where trees are assessed and removed only where necessary and with care so as not to damage the remaining vegetation...This is particularly important in areas such as this, where native animals such as the colugo, civet cat and flying squirrels are likely to be affected."

NParks' group director of streetscape Oh Cheow Sheng said decisions to remove trees are made in the interest of public safety after careful consideration.

In the Bukit Batok case, the Albizia trees with a treefall zone overlapping the road were removed together with a smaller number of dead trees and those in poor health. Three big, sturdy and healthy trees growing in the area were retained.

A treefall zone refers to the area that will be affected by a tree when it falls, said botanist Shawn Lum, a senior lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University's Asian School of the Environment. He noted that a falling tree may also cause collateral damage.

If a tree is, say, 30m tall, its potential treefall zone will be a circle of at least 30m around the tree in all directions, said Dr Lum, who is also president of the Nature Society (Singapore). "Factor in the extra distance a tree may fall or slide to if it is on a slope, or the fact that a falling tree may knock over other trees in its path...then a conservative radius of a treefall zone may be considerably wider than the height of the tree."

The importance of tree maintenance in Singapore was highlighted after a 40m-tall tembusu heritage tree in the Singapore Botanic Gardens fell and killed a woman in February.

St George's Church at Minden Road recently felled a 30m-tall tembusu tree on its premises after an arborist deemed it unhealthy. The church decided to have the tree inspected following the February incident.

Asked if NParks had taken more steps to reduce the chance of trees falling since the February case, Mr Oh said that the board has had a comprehensive tree management programme in place since the early 2000s.

"With the continued strengthening of our tree management regime over the years, the annual number of cases of fallen trees and branches has been reduced from about 3,000 in the year 2000 to about 800 cases in 2016," he said.

The Albizia, one of the fastest-growing species of trees in the world, can reach a height of more than 40m - about 11 storeys.

However, its rapid growth means that lower branches are shed quickly as they get shaded out by the branches above, said Dr Lum. "Given how massive the branches can be, falling Albizia branches are a real danger in areas used by people, in parks, for example."

However, Dr Lum said Albizia trees could be important to wildlife such as eagles that roost or nest only in very tall trees.

"While there is a real need to manage Albizia where people and property are at excessive risk, allowing Albizia, perhaps even encouraging it, in certain circumstances could be part of a holistic, ecologically aligned strategy for vegetation and wildlife management in Singapore" he said.

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Malaysia: Another Johor water treatment plant shuts down over ammonia pollution

Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 19 Nov 17;

KLUANG: SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd (SAJ) was forced to shut down another water treatment plant on Saturday due to ammonia pollution, less than a month after closing three other plants in the state for the same reason.

The Sembrong Barat water treatment plant in Kluang was shut down for about 18 hours after the raw water source at the Sembrong Dam was found to contain an excessive amount of ammonia.

"The closure affected about 45,000 account holders, or about 225,000 consumers in Kluang," said SAJ.

The source of the ammonia pollution has been detected to the effluent retention pond of a palm oil mill in Jalan Batu Pahat, here.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the effluent from the pond flowed into Sungai Amran, which is a tributary of Sungai Sembrong.

"This caused the ammonia level at the Sembrong Dam to rise to 20 parts per million (PPM), which caused SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd to shut down the plant," Ayub told reporters after visiting the mill.

He said the Department of Environment (DoE), under the Environment Quality Act 1974 issued a notice for the suspension of the mill's operation licence for three months effective immediately.

"The mill is also facing a maximum compound of RM250,000 by the Johor Water Regulatory Authority (BAKAJ) under the Johor Water Enactment. BAKAJ has also frozen the mill's application to extract underground water," said Ayub.

He said the mill would have to make repairs and improvements to the retention pond before the suspension can be lifted.

"Hopefully, this will be a lesson to the mill as well as for other industry players," said Ayub.

Also present were BAKAJ director Mohd Riduan Mohd Ali and officers from the Johor DoE and SAJ Ranhill.

Meanwhile, SAJ Ranhill general manager of production and distribution Elias Ismail said the Sembrong Barat water treatment plant was closed at about noon on Saturday after excessive levels of ammonia was found in the raw water source from the Sembrong Dam.

The plant resumed operations at about 5.30am this morning.

"Water supply to the affected areas has been restored in stages. We expect the water supply to recover fully by tomorrow morning," said Elias.

Earlier this month, three water treatment plants along Sungai Johor, namely the Semangar, Johor and Tai Hong plants, were forced to suspend operations due to ammonia pollution, which was traced to an illegal fertiliser processing farm.

The closure affected two million consumers in Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi.


Another Johor water treatment plant shuts down due to ammonia pollution
Channel NewsAsia 19 Nov 17;

SINGAPORE: Johor water supply provider SAJ Ranhill has been forced to shut down its fourth water treatment plant in under a month due to ammonia pollution.

In a statement on Saturday (Nov 18) night, the company said 45,000 account holders in Kluang would be affected by the closure of the plant in Sembrong Barat. This is equivalent to 225,000 consumers, the New Straits Times cited SAJ as saying.

Around 1.8 million residents in Johor Baru were affected after the company shut down operations in three plants in late October due to the high levels of ammonia found in their raw water from Johor River.

Following this, a chicken farm and fertiliser factory found to be polluting the river were closed by the state government.


Ammonia pollution hits Johor water plant, Singapore not affected
TRINNA LEONG The New Paper 20 Nov 17;

Water in Malaysia's Johor state has been hit by another round of ammonia pollution which shut down a treatment plant and cut water supply to 225,000 consumers.

Utility firm SAJ Ranhill said in a statement on Saturday night that raw water in the Sembrong dam in Kluang district was found to have high ammonia content and that it had stopped operations at its Sembrong West water treatment plant.

The plant resumed operations yesterday morning, the company told The Straits Times, and water supply would be restored to affected consumers in stages starting from yesterday evening.

A palm oil processing factory was identified as the source of the contamination, after the Department of Environment conducted a site visit with Johor State Health, Environment, Education and Information Executive Committee chairman Ayub Rahmat.

According to national news agency Bernama, Mr Ayub said the factory's operating licence was immediately suspended for three months to allow the factory operator to conduct cleaning works and ensure factory waste is not discharged into a nearby river.

Mr Ayub said he has also asked Johor's water regulator Badan Kawalselia Air Johor to impose the maximum compound fine of RM250,000 (S$81,435) on the factory operator.

Singapore was not affected by the plant's closure because the Sembrong dam is not part of the Johor River catchment from where Singapore draws some of its water.

This latest case of water pollution comes weeks after two million consumers in Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi were affected by water cuts after three water treatment plants along the Johor River, also operated by Ranhill, were forced to suspend their operations over ammonia pollution. 
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AUDREY TAN IN SINGAPORE

Ammonia pollution shuts down another water treatment plant in Johor
Trinna Leong Straits Times 19 Nov 17;

KUALA LUMPUR - Water in Malaysia’s Johor state has been hit by another round of ammonia pollution which shut down a treatment plant and cut water supply to 225,000 consumers.

Utility firm SAJ Ranhill on Saturday (Nov 18) night said in a statement that raw water in the Sembrong dam in Kluang district was found to have high ammonia content and that it had stopped operations at its Sembrong West water treatment plant.

But the plant resumed operations on Sunday morning, the company told The Straits Times, and water supply will be restored to affected consumers in stages starting from this evening.

“Kluang consumers will get their water supply in stages starting late this evening,” said Elias Ismail, SAJ Ranhill’s general manager for production and distribution on Sunday.

A palm oil processing factory was identified as the source of the contamination, after the Department of Environment conducted a site visit with Johor State Health, Environment, Education and Information Executive Committee chairman Ayub Rahmat.

According to national news agency Bernama, Datuk Ayub said the factory’s operating licence was immediately suspended for three months to allow the factory operator to conduct cleaning works and ensure factory waste is not discharged into a nearby river.

Mr Ayub said he has also requested Johor’s water regulator Badan Kawalselia Air Johor to impose the maximum compound fine of RM250,000 (S$81,436) on the factory operator.

This latest case of water pollution comes weeks after two million consumers in Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi were affected by water cuts after three water treatment plants along the Johor River, also operated by Ranhill, were forced to suspend their operations over ammonia pollution.

The pollution was later traced to an illegal fertiliser processing plant and poultry farm operating by the river in Kluang.

Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong said water cuts have become a norm in the district, with various reasons given for rationing, including upgrading, pollution and scheduled maintenance.

“At the moment the level of water stored in the water reservoir is insufficient to cope with demand during down time,” said Mr Liew in a post on his Facebook page.

“With proper planning, even if problems exist at the supply source, it would not disrupt normal usage,” he added.

Singapore was not affected by the plant’s closure because the Sembrong dam is not part of the Johor River catchment from where Singapore draws its water.

Additional reporting from Audrey Tan in Singapore

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