140 rats killed at popular market

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/11/18/central/2570743&sec=central
By YIP YOKE TENG

GUESS how many rats died of poison baits placed at the Section 17/21 wet market by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) last month? 140.

And this 30-year-old open air market is regarded by many to have the most fresh seafood in the city.

Following reports of the alarming filthiness at the market in StarMetro during its Hygiene Campaign on Oct 20, Nov 10 and Nov 17, the traders are finally setting out to make the market cleaner.


Eyesore: Lee (right) lashing out at the culprits, believed to be
hawkers and restaurant operators, who have contributed to creating
this disgusting heap of garbage near the Section 17/21 wet market.

It is hoped that the rodent colony will soon be wiped out at the popular market.

The traders teamed up with 10 MBPJ workers in a gotong-royong on Monday to clean up the puddle-ridden streets and dug perishables out of the dirt-caked drains. The council provided two water tankers.

The stall operators had unanimously agreed to each fork out RM30 a month to hire an additional worker to clean the market every day, from 6am to 2pm. Now, there is only one worker doing the job on a part-time basis. Each trader pays between RM12 and RM15 for the service.
They will also form a committee to monitor the market’s cleanliness.


Working together: Traders of the Section 17/21 wet market cleaning the area.

“We have had regular cleaning-up sessions like this every month since about two years ago, but the problem still exists,” vegetable seller Low Guai Hwa said. Low blamed the unhealthy situation on a few selfish and inconsiderate traders who simply discard refuse into the drains.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said the MBPJ would first resurface the roads riddled with potholes, while its engineering department would conduct a feasibility study into building a concrete floor.

“If it is suitable and not too expensive, the council will go ahead with the plan,” he said.
Meanwhile, a developer had expressed interest in building an indoor market in the neighbourhood. Lee said the proposal was being discussed and assessed.

He said the council would re-install a CCTV in the market to prevent traders and consumers from littering.

Lee: Landfills fully used

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/11/11/central/2493404&sec=central
By JADE CHAN

IT IS important to address the problem of waste management in Petaling Jaya as all landfills are already fully used, according to Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.

“We have only two options. One is to take the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) campaign seriously. If we do not, we only have the other alternative, which is incineration (to burn our waste),” he said at a press conference to announce the PJ Recycling Expo 2008 and the Environment Education Carnival.

“We must educate the citizens of PJ that 3R is our last recourse. If we do not seriously recycle and reduce waste that is going to the landfills, we will have to burn them.

“Incineration is not the best method, but when we have no choice, we will have to do that and then we have the problems of pollution and so on.

“This is the message I want to relay to the people of PJ. Otherwise we cannot blame the local authority for resorting to incineration in the future,” said Lee.

Housing and Local Government Ministry National Solid Waste Management Department assistant director Dr Tan Beng Hoe their target was to achieve zero waste by the year 2020.
“Act 672, which is the Solid Waste Management and Environment Cleanliness 2007 Act, has already been gazetted and will be enforced from Jan 1 onwards.” Dr Tan said the Act was related to solid waste and public cleanliness, but declined to reveal further details.

The PJ Recycling Expo 2008 will be held today and tomorrow from 9am-5pm at the lobby area of Jaya 33 in Jalan Semangat, while the Environment Education Carnival will be held on Thursday from 8am-4pm at the MBPJ’s Banquet Hall.

The events are organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) through the Environment Working Committee, Local Agenda 21 (LA21) PJ, in conjunction with National Recycling Day.
Selangor Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong is scheduled to launch the expo that is aimed at increasing public awareness on environmental conservation, especially on the 3R programme and LA21, and providing a platform for 3R players to interact and display their achievements.

The expo’s programme includes an exhibition on recyclable materials and environmental conservation, demonstrations on how to make handicraft and garbage enzymes, performances by students using recyclable materials, environment-friendly audition competition, recycling activities and lucky draws.

Dell will be on hand to collect used computers and related equipment like printers and mouse, while the Taman Mayang Jaya Residents Association will set up a booth to sell second-hand books and collect recyclable materials.

MBPJ Town Planning Department assistant director and LA21 officer Lee Lih Shyan said the expo would also involve the Danida Solid Waste Management Component, which would educate the public on household waste composting.

The carnival, which is open to primary and secondary schools in PJ, is aimed at educating children and teenagers about environmental conservation through fun methods.

For more information, contact Lee at 03-7956 3544 ext 351/ 370/ 374 or lee@mbpj.gov.my, or Mahzura at 03-7956 2939 or mahzura@mbpj.gov.my.