I do not wish to fill this letter with facts on the precious bio-diversity of these areas and the importance of preserving them. The facts are there and it is just a matter of whether we choose to pay attention to them.

Development is vital for a country. However, there must surely be a limit to development at the expense of nature.

The URA said that in 'land-scarce Singapore, we have to adopt a pragmatic approach to balancing nature conservation and other development needs'.

I agree. This balance relies on good resource management. Land is scarce here and it will continue to be scarce even after we have covered Singapore in concrete. To keep sacrificing nature reserves is not effective land management.

I am not an active environmentalist but just an ordinary Singaporean saddened by the situation. I have dived at Pulau Hantu and spotted underwater creatures which I have not seen in other countries, even at well-known diving sites.

Destroying the nature sites here is an act that we will come to regret.

MICHELLE YAP SHING YEE (MS)