DJI Matrice 300 Drones Will Be Used To Monitor The Rivers In Selangor

Wire

DJI Matrice 300 Drones Will Be Used To Monitor The Rivers In Selangor

Reported on Bernama, the Selangor state government has allocated RM2 million for 4 DJI Matrice 300 high technology drones to be used from next month to monitor rivers in Selangor and guard against pollution of water resources.

State executive councillor Hee Loy Sian said the drones would be managed by the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS). The Klang River Basin, Selangor River and Sungai Langat will be monitored by the drones. They will also be able to more accurately take water samples, including in remote areas.

“In fact, they (drones) can also detect individuals at night, including giving early warnings if there are suspicious activities, with this technology we expect to prevent river pollution activities in Selangor in the future,” he said after inspecting the Sungai Gong flood mitigation pond here.

Possible sabotage?

Hee said that he did not rule out the possibility that there was an element of sabotage that caused the raw water source pollution that was detected at 2 am today, causing the closure of water treatment plants. This is because the night this pollution occurred was on Sunday and the factories do not usually operate on Sunday.

According to Hee, a police report has been lodged so that the police can investigate and determine if this really was sabotage.

Tougher penalties on polluters

Furthermore, at the next sitting of the State Assembly, a proposal to amend the existing LUAS enactment with regard to the punishment for river pollution offences would be presented.

“Now the fine imposed is RM100,000 or imprisonment, we want the existing fine to be increased to RM200,000 to a maximum of RM1 million and also jail of not more than a year on offenders.

Besides that, we will also reward RM20,000 to whistleblowers regarding river pollution activities and the identities of the whistleblowers will be kept secret,” he said.

Since the treatment plants were closed, almost 1,300 areas in the Klang Valley have been without water supplies. Supplies will resume tomorrow from 8 am, with full restoration from Wednesday to Friday in stages.