Where are all the people who care for the environment.

I have tried every possible avenues to raise my concern with the environmental degredation that is taking place around this village of Janda Baik, which in the district of Bentong in the state of Pahang in Malaysia. So far the rampant felling of virgin forest and subsequent open burning and cultivation of crops such as ginger and other vegetables have continued unabated with impunity.

Apparently ginger is a very lucrative crop and since it prefers freshly cleared and burnt grounds, the search for fresh areas has led to higher and steeper slopes of the virgin forest being encroached. As the ginger crops also require ample supply of water, catchments are much prefered by the illegal growers. Muddy flows after heavy showers in the mountains were seldom seen here before. Now it has become a common sight and the numerous HDPE pipes used by the villagers to supply crystal clear cool mountain water to their homes and gardens are often clogged and carried away by the heavy debries that are now washed down by the flash floods.

I wonder whether Janda Baik residentds can find enough sympathisers to put an end to their plight.

MSAbdullah.