Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (second from right) at the DID's 90th anniversary and World Rivers Day celebrations in Kuala Muda Sunday (Sept 25). - Photo: Bernama
SUNGAI PETANI: The Environment and Water Ministry will leave it to the Kedah government to decide on what to do with the three water reservoirs at the Musang King durian farm on top of Gunung Inas in Baling, Kedah.
Its Minister, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, said he was confident that the state government would address the issue and monitor all projects in Kedah as best as possible.
"The state government will make a decision based on the extent of the threat and danger of the reservoirs to residents in the area. So, we’ll leave it to the state government to decide," he told reporters here Sunday (Sept 25).
He said this when asked about the move to drain the three reservoirs, which have become a concern for the residents because they are said to have caused mud floods and debris flows in Kampung Iboi, Baling, on July 4.
Earlier, Tuan Ibrahim said that the Irrigation and Drainage Department was asked to drain the three reservoirs, each the size of a futsal court, as soon as possible for fear of flooding.
In the July 4 incident, mud floods and debris flows affected over 800 residents from 42 villages around Kupang and claimed three lives in Kampung Iboi.
Commenting on the project to build two sabo dams at the foot of Gunung Inas, Tuan Ibrahim said the ministry was in the process of appointing contractors and that the dams are expected to be fully completed this year.
A sabo dam, also called a check dam or debris dam, is a dam constructed upstream of a torrent at a site where sediment production and discharge is especially large.
It stores the sediment, which runs down from upstream, in order to reduce the discharge downstream and also prevents the outflow of unstable sediment deposited at the bed of a torrent.
"In Kedah, a total of seven sabo dams will be built, two in Yan, two in Baling and three more in new areas. So far, one has been completed in Yan while in Baling, the allocation is already there but the contractor has yet to be appointed.
"When ready, we hope the sabo dams can reduce the impact by slowing down the flow of water and blocking the flow of debris in the event of a flood due to heavy rain," he said. - Bernama
