NEWS
ACRES IN THE NEWS
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TODAY ONLINE
12 September 2008
ACRES Rescue centre dumped with $1m problem
Sheralyn Tay
IT WAS to be a sanctuary for the animals rescued from the wildlife trade, but even as part of the centre opened officially today, more than half the completed Wildlife Rescue Centre remains closed and unusable as the land is contaminated.
“We were just preparing for the opening (around September this year) when we noticed foul smelling and blackish water in the drains,” Mr Louis Ng, founder and executive director of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) told Today.
Investigations revealed that the water was toxic — due to the tonnes of woodchips and petrochemicals allegedly dumped by Acres' builder, A.*.A Contractor, on the site.
The backfill — used to level the steep slope of the original site — had decomposed, mixed into the soil and contaminated the groundwater.
It's a huge blow to the animal welfare group that had spent a better part of two years raising funds to build the sprawling 2-hectare rescue centre.
Fronted by an education centre, volunteer and staff areas, the pride of the rescue centre was to be the 10 or so animal enclosures for turtles, tortoises, primates and other wildlife seized from illegal traders.
A.*.A had claimed that the woodchips had been “accidentally” dumped, said Mr Ng, but a further soil test revealed that the illegal backfill went as deep as 12m in some areas.
Today understands that the National Environment Agency is prosecuting A.*.A for illegal dumping.
Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act, the penalties for discharging toxic substances or hazardous substances into inland waters are a fine of up to $100,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months.
Acres has also initiated a case against A.*.A as the contractor has not removed the woodchips — estimated to cost at least $1 million — and stalling the progress torehabilitate the site.
According to the writ filed by Acres, the contractor had also demanded that the society pay the remaining construction costs of about $150,000, even though the site had not been finished as stipulated under the contract.
Last year, after extended delays by A.*.A, Acres made it sign an agreement to finish works and submit the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) by the end of August last year — three months after the original date of completion.
Acres ceased all payments when the contractor did not fulfil its part of the deal, but by then, $500,000 had been paid,according to the writ.
In a way, Mr Ng said, the delay turned out to be a blessing.
“If not, we would have moved in and after we got the TOP, the contractor could have completely washed his hands of us. We would have been left to deal with this on our own.”
As of this month, thedelays have cost Acres more than $10,000 in rent alone, not including the construction fees paid. Acres hopes to reclaim these losses in its civil suit.
Said Mr Ng: “These aredonations and interest-free loans from our donors and it's only right to seek redress for the loss of these funds.”
Despite the huge blow , he remains optimistic.
“If it were easy, someone else would have done it by now,” he said. With a partial-TOP for the front portion of the rescue centre, which has not been contaminated, Acres can still conduct workshops and educational sessions forrevenue. “Our work will still go on,” said Mr Ng.
Acres is now appealing to other construction companies to help in the excavation and rebuilding works, reported Channel NewsAsia.
It hopes to open the Reco-very and Rehabilitation Centre soon, following further talks with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.
The opening of the Animal Sanctuary, which needs to be torn down, is delayed for at least another six months.
Sheralyn Tay
IT WAS to be a sanctuary for the animals rescued from the wildlife trade, but even as part of the centre opened officially today, more than half the completed Wildlife Rescue Centre remains closed and unusable as the land is contaminated.
“We were just preparing for the opening (around September this year) when we noticed foul smelling and blackish water in the drains,” Mr Louis Ng, founder and executive director of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) told Today.
Investigations revealed that the water was toxic — due to the tonnes of woodchips and petrochemicals allegedly dumped by Acres' builder, A.*.A Contractor, on the site.
The backfill — used to level the steep slope of the original site — had decomposed, mixed into the soil and contaminated the groundwater.
It's a huge blow to the animal welfare group that had spent a better part of two years raising funds to build the sprawling 2-hectare rescue centre.
Fronted by an education centre, volunteer and staff areas, the pride of the rescue centre was to be the 10 or so animal enclosures for turtles, tortoises, primates and other wildlife seized from illegal traders.
A.*.A had claimed that the woodchips had been “accidentally” dumped, said Mr Ng, but a further soil test revealed that the illegal backfill went as deep as 12m in some areas.
Today understands that the National Environment Agency is prosecuting A.*.A for illegal dumping.
Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act, the penalties for discharging toxic substances or hazardous substances into inland waters are a fine of up to $100,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months.
Acres has also initiated a case against A.*.A as the contractor has not removed the woodchips — estimated to cost at least $1 million — and stalling the progress torehabilitate the site.
According to the writ filed by Acres, the contractor had also demanded that the society pay the remaining construction costs of about $150,000, even though the site had not been finished as stipulated under the contract.
Last year, after extended delays by A.*.A, Acres made it sign an agreement to finish works and submit the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) by the end of August last year — three months after the original date of completion.
Acres ceased all payments when the contractor did not fulfil its part of the deal, but by then, $500,000 had been paid,according to the writ.
In a way, Mr Ng said, the delay turned out to be a blessing.
“If not, we would have moved in and after we got the TOP, the contractor could have completely washed his hands of us. We would have been left to deal with this on our own.”
As of this month, thedelays have cost Acres more than $10,000 in rent alone, not including the construction fees paid. Acres hopes to reclaim these losses in its civil suit.
Said Mr Ng: “These aredonations and interest-free loans from our donors and it's only right to seek redress for the loss of these funds.”
Despite the huge blow , he remains optimistic.
“If it were easy, someone else would have done it by now,” he said. With a partial-TOP for the front portion of the rescue centre, which has not been contaminated, Acres can still conduct workshops and educational sessions forrevenue. “Our work will still go on,” said Mr Ng.
Acres is now appealing to other construction companies to help in the excavation and rebuilding works, reported Channel NewsAsia.
It hopes to open the Reco-very and Rehabilitation Centre soon, following further talks with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.
The opening of the Animal Sanctuary, which needs to be torn down, is delayed for at least another six months.
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