P6 ACS 2018 SA1

P6 ACS 2018 SA1

The Kim River

Recently, Johor's Kim Kim River was seriously polluted. factories

nearby had dumped their chemical waste illegally into the river. Thousands were affected by the toxic and pungent fumes given off by the waste. It is a timely reminder for Singaporeans to take care of our precious resource - water.

The Kim RIver

About four decades ago, our rivers were in a sad state. Up to the 1970s, 5 squatters, hawkers and factories crowded the banks of the Singapore River. Improper disposal of garbage and waste along with oil spills from bumboats led to severe water pollution. At the same time, the Kallang ~.iver was also polluted by nearby pig and duck farms. Our then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, called for the clean-up of Singapore's rivers in 1977. He believed that keeping our water source free from pollution must be a way of life. He challenged the Ministry of Environment to make fishing and other recreational activities possible in the Singapore River and the Kallang River in ten years.

The Kim RIver

About 4 000 squatters and hawkers were relocated during the clean-up. The government provided flats for the squatters while street hawkers were shifted to hawker centres. Hundreds of bumboats were moved to a new facility at Pasir Panjang. Foul-smelling mud and rubbish were removed from the banks and the riverbeds. Pig and duck farms were closed down.

The Kim River

The clean-up was successfully completed in the given time. The government started the Clean Rivers Education Programme in 1987. Its goal was to raise awareness of the hazards of dumping waste into Singapore's waterways and to encourage people to keep them clean. These days, education programmes are run by the Waterways Watch Society (WWS), a local organisation.