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Report: 20 Klang landowners may lose plots for open burning during haze

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — Twenty agricultural landowners in Klang may have their plots seized over alleged open burning during last month’s haze that was detected by the local District and Land Office’s investigations.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported that seven have already been served with Notice 7A of the National Land Code for carrying out open burning on their plots, all located within the Johan Setia area.

Klang chief assistant district officer Mohd Shahrizal Mohd Salleh was quoted in the report as saying the remaining 13 landowners are still under investigation.

After Notice 7A, companies are then served with Notice 7B that allows formal investigations to be conducted and which requires them to show cause for the open burning on their plots.

“The landowners will be given three months to carry out remedial works on their respective plots.

“If they fail to adhere to the instructions, ultimately Notice 8A will be used to confiscate their land.

“We want to issue a stern warning to landowners that open burning is an offence,” Mohd Sharizal was quoted in the report.

The landowners, according to the NST, were identified by the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, who assisted the Klang Municipal Council’s Skuad Pantas douse the flames during the haze period.

Johan Setia was among the worst hit areas within the country, registering Air Pollutant Index readings beyond the “very unhealthy” threshold of 200.

The smog had also triggered temporary closures of at least 939 schools from 10 districts within Selangor, involving more than 900,000 students, including those as far as Kuala Langat.

In the report, Mohd Sharizal explained companies would most likely resort to open burning as a cheaper and faster alternative to remove agricultural waste before farmers can replant their crops.

“However, such activity was harmful to the environment and we do not condone that,” he said.

Additionally, Klang Fire and Rescue Department zone chief Samsol Maarif Saibani warned landowners against the nuisance of trespassers abusing idle plots of land, advising them to fence up their property.

He explained how these plots could be turned into illegal rubbish dumpsites by trespassers, disposing of waste such as clothing, and even scrap metals.

“There was a case in Johan Setia where several individuals, believed to be drug addicts, set fire to a mountain of rubbish on a plot of land; their actions exacerbated the haze few weeks ago.

“Farmers in the area claimed drug addicts burnt wires they had collected to extract copper,” he was quoted as saying by NST.

Source: MalayMail