JOHOR BARU: The Johor Department of Environment (DOE) has completed clean-up works involving a chemical spill that polluted Sungai Sengkang near Kampung Baru Sengkang here.

       State health and environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said the chemicals came from an illegal factory in the area and the incident also caused air pollution in the vicinity.

       “The chemical clean-up works were carried out immediately to ensure that the pollution would not spread and affect the nearby residents and the Sultan Ismail water treatment plant in Skudai, Johor Baru.

       “The incident was reported on July 3 and we completely cleared the area by July 7,” he said in a statement on Thursday (July 8).

       He added that the state DOE is currently monitoring the air quality in the area.

       “No pollution was detected. Surveillance shows there is no more chemical smell or any spillage in the river," he said.

       Vidyananthan also said the DOE is finalising investigation papers on the suspects involved in the incident and intends to charge them under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127).