Saturday August 4, 2012

Sigh of relief after Salak Selatan flood problem rectified

By CHOONG MEK ZHIN
mekzhin@thestar.com.my
Photo by LIM CHENG KIAT

AFTER three months of living in constant fear of flashfloods, the Pekan Salak Selatan shopkeepers can finally sigh with relief as action is finally being taken to rectify drainage woes in the area.

Federal Territory MCA 1Malaysia Taskforce chairman Banie Chin said it had been determined that the severe flooding on May 2 was because a drain running through a private land was unable to contain the high volume of water.

“Before this land was converted into a parking lot early last year, it used to be an open space. Thus, spillover from the drain was absorbed by the surrounding land,” he said.

Currently, the land has been raised more than half-a-metre and covers a portion of the drain leading to Sungai Kerayong, behind the shops along Jalan Besar.

Chin said the recent flashflood had incurred more than RM100,000 in damages as the water rose some 1.2m in height.

Working on it: Chin (second right) along with DBKL officers and residents discussing the drainage problem during the site visit.

He visited the site yesterday along with Kuala Lumpur City Hall enforcement and infrastructure development planning department officers as well as the owner of the land, Datuk P. Krishnamurthi.

Krishnamurthi said the shopkeepers in the area had asked him to resolve the problem.

“If necessary, I am prepared to build a new drain. However, this would involve connecting to the nearby highway drain and this must be approved by the highway concessionaire as well as DBKL,” he said, adding that he would be submitting a drainage plan to DBKL soon.

However, he disagreed that the flooding was due to the drain on his land being covered up. He said it could be due to the work being carried out along Sungai Kerayong and the sand piled along its riverbanks.

He said the sand could have led to the drain getting blocked.

Krishnamurthi also said there were plans to build a condominium on the land and was awaiting approval from the authorities.

Meanwhile, Chin said he would ensure the landowner removed part of the hoarding around the site today, alleging that the former had exceeded the borders of his land.

“If this is not done, I will get DBKL enforcement officers to dismantle it next week,” he said.