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Environmental
Management
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Protection |
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It is quite shocking and disappointing
nowadays to watch how little or no concern is being
shown towards our environment. Trees are being cut without due
regards to the survival of wild life and the
flora and fauna, especially if they are the rare and
endemic type. Trees help to trap dust, which makes the air
cleaner. Rivers are polluted with uncontrolled silt from construction site, rubbish
from households and toxic chemicals from factories
and fertilisers from agriculture. The air is polluted
with smoke from open burning and factory chimneys, exhaust gases from
vehicles and dust from construction sites. Where we
used to just boil water to kill harmful germs and viruses,
now we have to filter and treat
the water to eliminate any toxic
chemicals before it is safe to drink. Even the food
that we eat are filled with harmful chemicals in
the form of additives such preservatives, conditioners and colorings. |
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Add the above pollutions to our habits of obesity, smoking, drinking,
lack of exercise and rest and we are already on
our way to self-termination from chronic diseases like cancer,
heart attack and strokes. |
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However, here I am going to be concerned about how to
minimise negative effects of construction activities on our
environment, the enviuronment where you and
I and our future generations are going to
live. |
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River Weir |
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Silt Trap |
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Installing
structures like the above river weir and silt trap helps
to reduce river sedimentation . |
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Uncontrolled clearing of trees
creates a situation where, when it rains, there is
no time for water to slow down or seep into the the
ground. When it rains heavily, water rushes into areas of
lower elevation until it reaches the nearest drains and rivers.
Most of the rivers do not have the
capacity to take all the water because of
sedimentation collected over the years. As a result, the
water overflows and floods the area, destroying millions of Ringgits
of properties and causing many people
to be homeless. |
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The rush of
water from a cleared construction area not only causes flood,
it also carries mud and silt with it. If no controlled measures
are being taken at site to prevent the silt from entering
into drains, the silt finally reaches the rivers,
where it adds more towards sedimentation. |
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Water
Truck |
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Diesel
Bund |
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The spraying of water onto access
roads helps to reduce air poillution and
building of diesel
bunds helps to prevent ground contamination due to
spillage.
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So what part can we play to ensure minimum negative impact
to the environment if we are involved in construction
activities? |
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My answer to that is that wherever we are
implementing any project, where it involves the cutting and
clearing of trees, many measures can be taken to ensure that
we stay environmentally friendly. For instance, leave as many
trees as possible intact and only remove them where necessary.
Build suitable structures, like silt traps and retaining
ponds, to block or minimise the flow of soil into the
adjacent rivers. Avoid open burning of trees to reduce smoke.
If open
burning is unavoidable, use environment-friendly incenerators to carry out control
burning. Avoid or minimise dust from polluting
the air by spraying water onto temporary laterite access roads
with water and cleaning lorry tires before they leave
the construction site. Suitable bund should be constructed around a diesel
storage tank to prevent contamination of ground due to
leakage. |
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You deserve my admiration and a pat on
your back if you can also save all the rare and endemic
animals or plants before you start to clear a jungle for your
industrial, agricultural or construction
project.
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Lastly, please help to protect our environment.
If we protect the environment, the environment will protect
us. |
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For further enquiries or information, please
write to roslan@roslank.com |
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or fill and send the mail
form
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Adress: No.8C, Jalan Mesra 1,
Taman Mesra, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Malaysia. |
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Tel: +603-5519
1855 |
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Fax: +603-5519
2866 |
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Mobile: +6013-2020 998 |
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