TODAY, 21 Dec 01
Marine conservationists have scored their first victory in their bid to preserve one of Singapore's remaining sand flats.
The Ministry of National Development (MND) yesterday said that Tanjung Chek Jawa, the strip of beach on the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, will escape the throes of redevelopment—for now.
The
Ministry said it has decided to defer reclamation works slated for the end
of this year for it to consult experts on how best to protect the marine
life there.According to the Nature Society, Chek Jawa, is home to a multitude of marine life rare on developed mainland beaches. Sea anemone, grasses and sponges are common, as are stingrays, horseshoe crabs and sand dollars.
Meanwhile,
a scientist warned against a flood of visitors. Said Mr N Sivasothi, a research
officer at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Sciences at the National University
of Singapore: "Many are newcomers to nature, which is good, but some
don't know how to interact with nature. We want to give the area time to
recover".