Rantau Panjang farmers in dire need of rain

RANTAU PANJANG: Farmers here may face a possible water crisis if it fails to rain within the next few weeks as the water level at the Bukit Kwong dam here is depleting by the day.

The dam’s management said the water level had dropped below 30% of its capacity since Thursday.

“This means that by the end of April, unless it rains heavily, the dam will be bone dry.

“The farmers around the area will suffer as they have to find alternative water sources to irrigate their plots,” said a spokesman.

The dam, which supplies water for irrigation within the Rantau Panjang area, is the main source of water for the farmers.

It does not supply water for domestic consumption.

A report on Wednesday stated that water capacity at four out of 20 dams monitored by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) nationwide were at a critical level as of Monday.

The four are Bukit Kwong in Kelantan at 27.9% capacity, Padang Saga in Langkawi (38%), Labong in Johor (14.3%) and Timah Tasoh in Kangar (38.8%).

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the other dams recorded water levels at between 53% and 100%.

He added that the ministry, along with other relevant agencies, had been enhancing prevention efforts against open burning, which could potentially cause haze.

The efforts include banning open burning throughout the country since Jan 12.

Between early this year and March 19, a total of 703 open burning cases were detected nationwide involving forest, agriculture, industry and landfill areas, as well as construction sites.