Article by SJ Echo :
SUBANG JAYA, APRIL 13 2012: THE agony of breathing in a foul stench in the night and early morning for almost a week by Subang Jaya residents will soon be over.
The source of the ‘ammonia-like’ stench which lingered in the air especially during the nights and early morning around SS13, SS14, SS18, USJ2, USJ3 and even USJ4 since April 7 has been discovered by the Department of Environment Selangor.
“Our team was mobilised to Subang Jaya on April 10 after receiving complaints from the public and reports from the SS17 Fire & Rescue Department and ADUN Subang Jaya Hannah Yeoh of the mysterious stench that affected many areas in the neighbourhood.”
“Investigations from our checks of all the factories in the SS13 industrial zone took us to the IWK oxidation pond in SS13,” Selangor Department of Environment enforcement officer Zulaikha Mokhtar said to SJ Echo.
She said many of the aerators in the two oxidation ponds were not function.
“There are supposed to be 5 aerators in each pond running at all times. We found only one aerator functioning in one pond while the other only had 3 aerators running.”
“We have requested a full report from IWK on this and have asked them to immediately get their aerators running,” she said, adding that IWK had also been asked to service and maintain the facility regularly to avoid such an incident from recurring.
Zulaikha said due to the breakdown of the aerators, there was insufficient oxygen to treat the waste in the oxidation pond, resulting in the stench that left many residents with the agony of having to bear with the inconvenience.
At least one child with asthma problem had to be rushed to a clinic for medical attention on April 7 evening because he encountered breathing difficulties.
“IWK officials were supposed to revert to us by Thursday (April 12) but we have yet to hear from them. Our officiers will be folllowing up with them today (April 13).”
“Once we have concluded our investigations, we will decide on the next course of action to be taken against IWK if they are found to have been negligent,” she said.
Zulaikha urged residents in the surrounding areas to stay indoors especially in the evenings for the next few days while repair work was carried out at the oxidation pond.
“It will take a few days for the repairs to be completed and the aerators running as they should. The pond should not be emitting any stench by then,” she added.
On April 7 and 8, the SS17 Bomba and police received numerous calls complaining of the stench. Personnel from both agencies went around looking for the source of the problem, right into the wee hours of Sunday morning. They came back empty-handed but managed to narrow down the source of the stench to the SS13 industrial area.
A report was lodged with the Department of Environment.