RESTAURANTS and food traders in Klang’s Little India play a role in ensuring drains in the commercial areas are clean and not clogged with rubbish and sludge, as this could lead to floods.
“Our cleaning crew often finds used cooking oil discarded in the drainage system of Little India,” said Klang Royal City Council’s (MBDK) Environmental Services Department director Zaireezal Ahmad Zainuddin.
“I urge all restaurant operators to stop this irresponsible act (of dumping used cooking oil into drains) as it adversely affects other businesses when it results in floods.”
Zaireezal said this during a site visit to check on cleaning efforts by MBDK’s crew.
A suction pump and high-pressure water jetter was used to flush out oil accumulated in a sump located at the intersection of Jalan Tengku Kelana and Lorong Tingkat in Klang.
“We need the restaurant operators’ cooperation to properly discard used cooking oil,” said MBDK health assistant Abdul Raziq Ahmad Ridzuan, who supervised the clean-up.
Zaireezal said restaurants have to instal and maintain grease traps, which would help stop fats, oil and grease (FOG) from going directly into drains behind their premises.
Grease traps, fitted under sinks, filter grease out of wastewater.
“Our crew has identified FOG as a key factor that prevents wastewater and even rainwater from flowing freely in the drains, which leads to blockages and causes backflow,” said Zaireezal, adding that such greasy waste can be found lining the inside of drain walls and floating on the surface of the water.
“This is because some eateries are pouring used cooking oil and even food particles down the drain.
“This cause blockage, and eventually results in floods along parts of Jalan Tengku Kelana, the main thoroughfare of Little India,” he said.
On Sept 29, several parts of Little India were hit by flash floods.
MBDK’s Health Department director Azmi Muji said health inspectors would soon conduct a spot check on restaurants in Little India to ensure eateries there had not dismantled or failed to maintain their grease traps.
“Grease traps that prevent FOG from getting into drains have been compulsory since 2011, and eateries must instal them before a business licence is issued,” he said.
