JTC accepts “oversight responsibilities” for the Kranji Forest site; about 4.5ha cleared by mistake

SINGAPORE: JTC Corporation said on Monday (February 22) that it accepts its “oversight responsibilities” in the case of a Kranji forested site that was partially cleared in error, adding that it is conducting an internal review of its processes to see what could have caused the error.

The agency said last Tuesday that a contractor had “mistakenly cleared” parcels of land before a commissioned environmental study could be completed, prompting criticism from nature groups and conservation advocates.

The area is where the Agri-Food Innovation Park will be developed. It is located along a green artery known as the rail corridor.

At a press conference on Monday, JTC said the site to be developed measures 25ha, of which 11.9ha have been cleared, while 13.1ha of vegetation remains.

Specifically, based on preliminary findings, the land that was mistakenly cleared measured approximately 4.5ha, or the equivalent of approximately six soccer fields.

READ: Kranji Forest Clearance: ‘Gaps’ in project management, instructions issued for ‘immediate’ follow-up, says Chan Chun Sing

JTC Corp CEO Tan Boon Khai said a general investigation into how the ground was cleared by mistake is underway, with the full cooperation of the parties involved in the development of the site.

“Regardless, as the developer of the project site, JTC has overall responsibility for the site. We do not escape from this responsibility. We will not, nor do we intend to, ”Tan said.

“JTC is now conducting an internal review of some of its internal processes and procedures to see if there are any deficiencies that could have led to some of these issues occurring on the ground,” he added.

“And when that review is complete, we will certainly see how we can improve. We strive to do better. We recognize that we can do better and we must. “

READ: Defenders of nature call for mitigation measures after mistake clearing parts of Kranji forest area

THE EARTH WAS MOSTLY SCRUBLAND

The site, which housed part of the former KTM railway line, did not require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as it was “not near sensitive natural areas,” JTC said.

Most of the site comprised “disused scrub” with a few scattered large trees, most of which were Albizia trees, he noted.

JTC added that the land is now dominated by the regrowth of non-native Albizia. The trees had sprouted over time, after rail service stopped and the land was returned to Singapore in 2011.

In giving a timeline of the developments, JTC said that while an EIA was not needed, a baseline flora study was completed in July 2019.

READ: Government will ‘proceed with care’ when developing nearby areas of rich biodiversity: Desmond Lee

Subsequently, in August 2020, a new fauna baseline survey was required, as well as an Environmental Management and Monitoring Program (EMMP).

This was because a new drainage, proposed as part of the construction plan, would release the discharge at Sungei Pang Sua, creating a potential risk of contamination caused by sediment runoff.

• May 2, 2019 – CPG Consultants (CPG) hired to do planning and design work
• July 22, 2019 – CPG submitted construction plan for logging to NParks with tree study plan
• July 29, 2019: CPG completed the flora baseline study
• August 29, 2019: NParks issued a written instruction to approve CPG’s urgent request for logging in parcels 4, 5 and 9
• March 2, 2020: With this approval, the cleanup of plot 9 began

• August 21, 2020: CPG’s new submission of a construction plan showed a proposed new drain that would discharge at Sungei Pang Sua. NParks then required a wildlife and EMMP baseline study
• August to September 2020: Site cleanup continued for parcel 8, 10-1, 10-7 and Highway 2, while calling for the fauna baseline study.
• September 29, 2020: NParks issued the authorization of the Construction Plan for the felling of trees, subject to the conditions of the fauna study and EMMP
• November 3, 2020 – CPG applied to NParks for permission to clear more parcels. He only approved the partial cleanup of parcel 1 on November 6 and the parcel was cleared.
• December 15, 2020 – Parcels 4 and 5 began clearing based on August 2019 approval

• December 23, 2020: EMMP consultant and fauna baseline study hired
• End of December 2020 to January 13, 2021 – Contractor cleared more areas, measuring 4.5ha (in red)

• Jan 13, 2021 – JTC project manager discovered additional compensation. All removal work suspended and JTC launched an internal investigation
• January 15, 2021: Stern warning issued to contractor. Investigations still ongoing
• Feb 16, 2021 – JTC released a press release and the contractor apologized

NOW WHAT?

All work on the site remains suspended, JTC said.

He added that the fauna baseline study and EMMP are expected to be completed in April 2021.

Thereafter, JTC said it will engage stakeholders in the study’s findings. The results of the study will also be shared publicly.

Furthermore, NParks is conducting investigations to see if there were violations of the Parks and Trees Act and the Wildlife Act.

NParks Parks and Recreation Commissioner Dr. Leong Chee Chiew emphasized that no assumptions should be made prior to this because the penalties under these laws are “not small”, with fines of up to S $ 50,000 and even the possibility of six months in prison. .

In addition to the JTC and NParks investigations, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and National Development Minister Desmond Lee also ordered a review of interagency coordination.