FEARS that illegal sand mining activity may have returned on private land along Sungai Klang at 4th Mile Jalan Kelang Lama have proven to be unfounded.
The Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) has assured residents and businesses in the area that the agency appointed a contractor to carry out desilting along that stretch of Sungai Klang to carry out flood mitigation works.
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DID corporate communication department representative Farihah Mohd Thalha told StarMetro that the department did not issue any permit or support letter for sand washing in the area, clarifying that the activity at the site involved dredging for flood mitigation.
However, stakeholders in the area are unhappy over tipper lorries going in and out of the site leaving mud and silt on the roads and pavements of their shops.
They also claim that the road is now riddled with potholes and sinking due to the load carried by the lorries.
Damage, dirt and dust
Many claim that the tipper lorries that have been plying Jalan 1/137B are responsible for the potholes on the road.
Resident CK Yap said when sand washing was previously carried out at the site, the road was badly damaged.
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He said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) spent over RM100,000 to fix Jalan 1/137B and connecting roads after the illegal operation was shut down in April 2019.
“But now we are back to where we started and the road is damaged all over again. So where is the enforcement?” he asked.
A shopowner who wanted to be identified only as Lim is unhappy over the mess made by the tipper lorries.
“There is mud everywhere and water ponding on the road. Some parts are even sinking and the constant heavy rain is worsening the problem,” Lim added.
Another business owner who wanted to be identified as Peter said lorry drivers transporting the sand would leave a trail of mud on the roads.
“The tyres of the lorries have deep treads and easily pick up mud and sand at the site.
“They should have installed a type of wheel-washing system at the site exit, to remove sediment and silt especially during the rainy season,’’ he said.
Another business owner operating a lighting shop nearby said contractors should play a role in caring for the environment.
“It’s not just the mud that bothers us. On a hot day, the amount of dust and dirt blowing onto public property is a big nuisance.
“We have to employ workers to regularly wipe everything down,’’ he said.
When StarMetro visited the site recently, about a dozen lorries were seen queuing up along the road in front of shops, awaiting their turn to get into the site.
The purple convoy of lorries was soon replaced with new lorries from another company, queuing to get in and out and leaving behind mud and dust.
And what irks residents and business community there is that the lorry drivers are operating on weekends too.
One lorry, one permit rule
When contacted, a DBKL spokesperson confirmed that a site inspection found that the contractor working there had a permit from DID to carry out desilting work.
“But we found that some of the lorries did not have the required permit from DBKL’s Planning and Infrastructure Department.
“They need the permit to transport sand and when we checked with the drivers at the site, they claimed ignorance which is not acceptable.
“We have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place so that drivers don’t mess up the public area,” he said, adding that notices were issued under Section 47(2) (b) of the Street Drainage and Building Act 1974 for failing to observe the law.
The spokesperson added that the contractor was also ticked off for not keeping the area clean and was warned that spot checks would be carried out regularly to ensure they buck up.
According to DBKL, the DID permit showed that desilting work starting on July 12 would be carried out for 16 weeks until Nov 1.
Desilting is undertaken to remove deposits of silt and debris on the riverbed as a flood prevention measure.
When contacted, Global Environment Centre (GEC) river care programme manager Dr Kalithasan Kailasam said desilting was one of the methods used for flood mitigation.
“But of course as with everything, it has to be done right and by the book.
“All proper environmental operating procedures must be followed and that includes getting the basics right,’’ he said.
“There should be a proper sediment trap put in place and also the SOP on transportation of sand from the site must be followed according to guidelines under the Department of Environment (DOE).
“If something is not right, then the DID must take action,’’ added Kalithasan.
The site of the ongoing desilting works is the same spot where an illegal sand washing operation took place three years ago.
Following public complaints, the government shut down the operation which had not only become a nuisance to residents and businesses in the area but had also contaminated nearby rivers.
DBKL had to repair the main and side roads which were damaged during the illegal operation.
The company responsible for the damage was billed for the work.