KUANTAN: Bio-diversity rich Tasik Chini located near here, once marred by long-standing environmental issues resulting from unregulated mining and land clearing activities is on the path to recovery.
The Pahang government has embarked on the restoration and rehabilitation works at the country's second-largest freshwater lake with support from various quarters including the Orang Asli living near the lake.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said currently there are zero-mining works near the lake after two existing operators, whose licences were supposed to expire this year, were issued with a stop-work order.
"A moratorium was imposed on the issuance of new licences for mining works and currently there are no mining works at the lake area. Two existing operators were ordered to stop their works much earlier before their licence expired this month.
"The Pahang government has been doing a lot to restore the lake area and works are still ongoing...I would say the lake is enjoying a new lease of life. Efforts to restore the greenery around the mining site on the hills near the lake is progressing smoothly including the replanting of ground cover crops.," he said.
Wan Rosdy told this to reporters after performing the groundbreaking ceremony for an RM2.8 million food court known as "Foodlawn.Kome" at Tanjung Lumpur here today.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the Orang Asli living near the lake were also part of the rehabilitation efforts by assisting to produce forest tree seedlings and bamboo saplings suitable to be planted near the lake, and former mining areas.
Wan Rosdy, who visited the lake to check on the replanting progress last week, said he will be making another trip early next year to ensure the lake will return as a popular tourist attraction and lure more visitors.
Tasik Chini came under the spotlight in early June after news emerged that the Pahang government had given the green light for mining operations in the vicinity of Tasik Chini to a royalty-linked company.
However, on June 12, the State Land and Mines director's office cleared the confusion saying no new mining licences have been awarded since March 2019.
On June 14, the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah, instructed for the Chini forest reserve to be expanded to provide better protection to plants and animals near the lake, and ordered mining works to stop.
Wan Rosdy on June 25 announced that rehabilitation works at an area covering 600ha in Tasik Chini which was affected by mining activities. was estimated to cost about RM20 million. Work began last August.