Pantai Teluk Kalong Coal Spill Clean Up To Be Completed In A Month - Terengganu DOE

CHUKAI, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The coal spill that hit Pantai Teluk Kalong near here after a barge drifted a shore and broke apart at the beach last week will be cleaned up within a month.

Terengganu Department of Environment (DOE) director Hamzah Mohamad said immediate clean-up work will be carried out to ensure the beach is restored to its original condition and that representatives of the barge company have already agreed to undertake the beach clean-up.

“So far, we have been informed that the company is in the process of appointing a qualified contractor to carry out the clean-up work,” he said when met by reporters after a meeting with parties responsible for the barge incident at Pantai Teluk Kalong here today, in the presence of state Tourism, Culture, Environment and Climate Change Committee chairman Datuk Razali Idris.

Hamzah said the company assured that the clean-up work is expected to be completed within a month but removal of the barge will take longer due to the complexity of the operation.

“Based on explanations from the parties involved, the barge carrying coal was en route from Indonesia to Vietnam but ran aground at this beach due to strong winds,” he said.

Meanwhile, Razali said the state government hopes the beach, which is a popular tourist destination, can be cleaned up as soon as possible.

“We will also monitor the clean-up works until the beach is restored to its original condition.

“Visitors need not be concerned as the coal involved is not classified as scheduled waste and does not pose a threat to the environment,” he said.

-- BERNAMA