Perak strict on quarry blasting regulations, official tells state assembly
IPOH, Feb 26 — The Perak government imposed strict requirements on quarry blasting to ensure that its environment was well preserved, the State Legislative Assembly was told today.
Perak Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said that quarry blasting activities should be carried out according to the conditions set by the authorities.
“The state government is very strict in this matter and alternative measure should be implemented to ensure that quarrying activities do not harm the environmental ecosystem
“Strict conditions are imposed on blasting activities including blasting design, blaster qualifications, explosion timing, limits of tremor parameters and air blasts,” he said.
Teh was replying to the oral question from Lubok Merbau assemblyman Azizi Mohamed Ridzuwan about the extent of monitoring over quarry activities around the state to ensure it does not harm the environmental ecosystem.
The Pokok Assam assemblyman also said that the blasting design proposal for quarrying should only be prepared by a certified blaster accredited by the mining consulting engineering.
He also said that the blasting design proposal should also be submitted to the Perak Department of Minerals and Geosciences (JMG) for approval before the blasting work is carried out.
“Every blasting work must be carried out by a certified blaster and supervised by a consulting engineer to ensure that blasting activities carried out do not have a negative impact on the surrounding building and public.
“Monitoring of earthquakes and air explosions using seismometers also needs to be done at nearby locations of public interest or any location directed by JMG.
“This monitoring work should also be carried out by the quarry operators themselves or through consulting engineers. Monitoring results should be recorded and submitted to JMG periodically,” he explained.
