The consultant for the Broga incinerator site in Semenyih take their business very seriously. They only sell hot-off-the-press environmental assessment impact (EIA) reports.

A copy of an additional report of their study area, in this case the site of the 1,500-tonne incinerator, is only available on demand.

"The addendum is only on the shifting of the original site to a slightly lower area. It is in one volume," Perunding Utama Sdn Bhd (PUSB) senior consultant Tan Poh Aun said today.

"Not many people will buy such reports, which is why we don't keep any stock. Otherwise, who is going to bear the printing cost?"

He said copies are printed after a purchase order, invoice or letter is placed.

A week later, the printed copies priced at RM450 each are ready for collection - cash on delivery. The study was completed in March, added Tan.

"This is standard procedure and we have already explained to the Broga residents. I don't know why they are still unhappy."

Standard procedure

Asked for details of the study, he replied: "Just read the report. Everything is in there."

He was also unable to say how thick the report is or the number of copies of the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) on the Broga site that had been sold.

In a letter faxed to Broga resident Alice Lee (left), PUSB managing director Peter Ho Yueh Chuen said the report was "being sent out for photostating and will be ready within this week".

On Dec 8, a notice in major local dailies announced the public display of the additional report to the DEIA.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry, proponent of the RM1.5 billion project, has given one month until Jan 5 for public viewing.

Written comments should be submitted to the DOE before Jan 19.

But Lee, a member of the Broga pro tem action sub-committee, is all but pleased with Tan's explanation today.

"This is ridiculous. We're not getting the report for free. We're paying for it and it's not cheap. How can they send the report for printing only after getting people's orders?"

Utmost urgency

When she called last Friday, the company had insisted that the person in charge was not around and that she tries again on Tuesday, as Monday was a public holiday in Selangor.

"Today, I spoke to Mr Tan and he told me that I had to place an order and wait one week before I collect the report because it will only be sent for printing this afternoon. He also refused to say how many copies were being printed.

"I'm so angry. This is not the correct way of doing things. We are now being forced to rush through the process."

Citing the general lack of urgency, Lee said residents were running short on time as they had to get expert feedback from overseas before the deadline.

"We have to ask the DOE for a time extension at least until the end of February due to the Christmas, New Year holidays and Chinese New Year holidays. People won't be around.

"Sometimes, I can't help but feel that the government had chosen this time of the year just to shorten our feedback time and make life difficult."

Copies of the report can be viewed at the Department of Environment (DOE) library in Putrajaya, Selangor public library, Kompleks Penghulu Semenyih, Kajang Municipal Council, Semenyih police station and all state DOE offices.

Residents of Kampung Broga have stood firm against the mammoth incinerator project since it was relocated three years ago from suburban Puchong to a site adjacent to their fruit orchards (top photo), farms and fish ponds.