A Cruel Fly Infestation at Kampung Batu 5
Residents around Kampung Batu 5, Jalan Gopeng - Batu Gajah have been forced to live in distress and discomfort after being plagued by thousands of flies, a problem that has worsened daily since 2014. Orangperak.com has received complaints from two local residents seeking to publicize this issue to gain the attention of the relevant authorities, as no action has been taken despite repeated complaints.
According to Linda, via a WhatsApp complaint, this fly infestation has persisted from 2014 until January 2017. It is believed to stem from a chicken coop established in 2014, located just 3 kilometers from the village. This is suspected to be the primary factor contributing to the fly population explosion in the area. Various efforts have been made to reduce the flies, including the use of sticky fly paper traps, but these have had no effect on the growing population.
Did you know that a female fly can lay between 100 to 150 eggs in two weeks, and the lifespan of a fly is only about 1 to 2 months? Are you good at math? Let's do a rough calculation for reference. Suppose that three years ago in Kampung Batu 5, there were only 100 flies. Assuming 10% were female and 90% were male, that would mean there were only 10 female flies in the village three years ago.
Taking the minimum number of eggs produced by a female fly, which is 100, and with 10 female flies, the total number of eggs produced would be 1,000 in two weeks. The time for flies to hatch and reach adulthood is also about two weeks. So, two months is a simple timeframe to understand the life cycle of a fly. This is just a simple rough calculation to help the authorities understand the problem. Please do not dismiss this estimate. Let's continue the calculation. Within one month of reaching adulthood, an adult fly will die. So, basically, 1 fly dies and 100 flies live on to continue their parents' legacy of feeding on waste and filth within a month.
With a multiplication rate of 1 fly producing 100 offspring, it is clear why the flies in Kampung Batu 5 are acting so cruelly, turning the residents' homes into their own. Could you accept having thousands of flies swarming inside your home? We are certain you would go mad, become enraged, and feel as distressed as the residents of Kampung Batu 5 are now. Where is the compassion and responsibility of the local authorities regarding this issue? Is it considered trivial? For your information, flies are a source and vector for diseases.
Enough with the fly calculations; let us return to the question of when this problem will be resolved. The authorities should take this seriously and take appropriate action against the owner of the chicken farm in the area. Go and inspect the site upon receiving reports instead of just nodding and shaking your heads in office chairs. Conduct an investigation and provide proper feedback to the complainant so they know their report was received and a solution is being worked on. If the owner of the chicken coop is found to be at fault, order a cleanup of the area, impose fines, or shut it down immediately for the sake of the health and lives of the villagers. If it is fated that a villager dies due to a fly-borne disease, those of you working in enforcement or related fields might escape punishment in this world, but you will have to answer for it in the hereafter.
This is a copy of a 2015 complaint submitted to the Batu Gajah District Council by the complainant. However, no appropriate action was taken by the relevant parties. The complainant also reported the matter to the Department of Environment, but according to an officer there, it was outside their jurisdiction. So, to whom should the people complain if every issue raised is deflected by specific departments? They should accept reports and forward them to the appropriate parties for further action. The higher-ups must realize that it is this kind of indifferent attitude that causes the public to lose trust. These are the subtle factors that are being overlooked. This article was written based on complaints from two residents, Mashitah and Linda, who reported the same issue via the orangperak.com WhatsApp. If you have a complaint to share, you can send it directly via our WhatsApp at 014 605 0005. Do not worry, as the complainant's details will be kept strictly confidential upon request. This is how you can voice complaints that have been ignored; we will help you share them with the public.
