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Residents plead with state govt to find solution

KUANTAN: Residents living near Pantai Pengorak here have expressed concern over reports of worsening air and water pollution caused by bauxite mining in the area.

Some residents as well as food traders operating along the route heading to Kuantan Port said the state government should look into the matter seriously.

A resident, who wished to be known only as Ismail, 50, said he learnt about the New Straits Times report on the issue through his friend, who read the article on Facebook.

“We often talk about the risks of the bauxite mining operations. The sea has gotten so red that it now looks like an ocean of blood. It seems that what I’ve feared in the past has become a reality.”

Ismail said although he had yet to encounter any health problems due to bauxite dust, some villagers complained of skin and throat irritations.

He said the residents had no choice but to persevere as there seemed to be no solution to the problem.

“There are mounds of bauxite at the port area and when the wind blows, it creates a hazy condition with red dust coating the road, trees and vehicles plying the route.  

“The red dust also drifts to our village and settles on the houses and clothes that are hung out to dry. When it rains, the water clears the dust.”

Ismail said although bauxite mining was a source of income for the state, stringent rules must be imposed to ensure the operators complied with the guidelines.

“The authorities must provide a long-term solution for the operators and the residents living nearby. Maybe there should be a limitation on the operating time or the number of lorries carrying bauxite daily,” he said.

 A women selling food by the roadside, who declined to reveal her name, said although there were reports published in the media previously, the situation remained unchanged.

“Every day before starting my business, I have to wipe the tables and chairs as they would be covered with red dust.

“I also have to put food, like curry puffs and doughnuts, in containers so that the dust does not settle on them,” she said, adding that as the stall was her sole source of income, she had to bear with the problem.  

“Many drivers will stop to eat and rest at the food stalls here.

“Although we are concerned about the bauxite issue, we have to earn a living.

“I hope the state government can do something to reduce the effects on the environment and the people here.”

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