Developer denies sand mining at Setiu estuary destroying environment

The sand mining activities being carried out at the estuary in Kuala Baru Setiu, Terengganu.

KUALA TERENGGANU:

The developer behind a sand dredging project at an estuary at Kuala Baru Setiu has denied allegations they are destroying the casuarina coastal forest at the site.

M&Z Production Industry Sdn Bhd said the channel deepening would benefit some 1,000 fishermen from the surrounding villages whose income had been affected by the shallow estuary.

Its executive director, Mohamed Farid Surani, said the company’s operations were based on “method statements and hydraulic research”.

Method statements are documents that detail exactly how to carry out work safely. “So there is no question of damaging the environment,” he told FMT.

Farid also said they had been given approval by the state government to carry out sand mining.

Addressing concerns about the destruction of the coastal forest, he said the company was committed to carrying out restoration work as outlined by the district and land office.

He said even though the first phase of the project saw the felling of casuarina trees, “once the project is completed, we will replant the trees”.

Mohamed Farid Surani says the company will replant casuarina trees along the coast.

An environmental group had raised concern that sand mining at the site had damaged the coastal forest and marine life.

Ecoswed Initiative said the casuarina coastal forest and the beach, which are the habitat of endangered species such as green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and painted terrapin (Batagur borneonsis), had been adversely affected.

A survey it carried out in April found that rows of casuarina trees stretching 700m to 1,000m on the beach had been cut down and destroyed.

It also claimed that the mining activities, which had destroyed the equivalent of seven football fields so far, had affected the Setiu Wetlands State Park, located next to the coastal forest.

Farid said the project would take three to four months to complete although they were trying to get it done before the start of the monsoon season.

Meanwhile, the chairman of a fishermen’s association in Setiu has supported the project as it “guaranteed a source of income”.

Omar Ismail said since the first phase of the project began, fishermen need not wait for the tide to come in before heading out to sea.

He said the shallow estuary had made it difficult for them to catch fish or carry out related activities.

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Developer denies sand mining at Setiu estuary destroying environment

M&Z Production Industry says the channel deepening will benefit some 1,000 fishermen whose income has been affected by the shallow waters.