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Government will ban logging near Pedu Dam, says Keng YaikBERUAS: The Cabinet has decided to prohibit all kinds of logging near the Pedu Dam reserve forest area in Kedah, Primary Industries Minister Datuk Dr Lim Keng Yaik said yesterday. The decision, which includes logging by helicopter (heli-logging), was made at the Cabinet meeting two weeks ago because it believed the forest around Pedu Dam was a water catchment area that needed to be preserved, he said. He said water catchment areas needed to be protected because clean water was necessary for the people of Kedah and Penang. Dr Lim told reporters after launching a camp for free medical consultation and medicine organised by the Beruas Puteri Umno here that the decision was not made because of pressure from any party. He said the Cabinet also asked the Finance Ministry to discuss with the state governments the possible reimbursement of their projected profits from logging. In July, the Kedah Government had approved a 122,798ha timber concession to WTK Holdings Sdn Bhd from Sibu and Yayasan Islam Kedah to carry out heli-logging in six areas in the state. These are the forest reserve areas of Ulu Muda, Pedu, Padang Terap, Chebar Besar, Bukit Keramat and Bukit Saiong which are the catchments for the Pedu, Muda and Ahning dams. These areas comprise 36% of the total forest reserve in Kedah while the dams provide water to Kedah, Perlis and Penang. Meanwhile, in Alor Star, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Syed Razak Zain said the state would abide by the Cabinet's decision to prohibit logging in the Pedu Dam forest reserve area. He said logging in the area had not started and it was still in the research stage. The second environmental impact study was sent to the Department of Environment last month after the first study was deemed incomplete. – Bernama |
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Monday, 19
May 2003
MTC’s
