MBPP takes action against illegal land clearing cases

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has issued summonses to most of the 200 illegal land clearing cases detected in the last few years.

State Local Government, Flood Mitigation and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said this showed the Council was aware of the situation.

“This shows the Council is not relaxed about the matter and is taking action against individuals or companies over illegal land clearing,” he said after visiting the Pulau Tikus market.

Chow said most of these activities were conducted on a small scale in Balik Pulau, Teluk Bahang and Relau where land was cleared for small paths and vegetable planting.

“Most of the clearing is done on a small scale and not much for development projects,” he said after the Auditor General’s Report found 268 cases of illegal land clearing from 2012 to March 16, 2015.

On the issue of adopting dogs from the Council pound, Chow said this was allowed prior to the rabies outbreak adding that any unclaimed dog will be put to sleep after a week.

He said adoption activities were put on hold due to the rabies outbreak, adding that the state was engaging animal rights activists and NGOs in response to a demonstration on Monday afternoon by a group of animal activists who urged the Council to allow adoption of dogs from the pound.