ISKANDAR PUTERI: Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) will build a third rubbish trap in Sungai Skudai as part of its efforts to clean up the river.
MBIP mayor Datuk Haffiz Ahmad said work on the RM600,000 project was projected to be complete by the end of the year.
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He said the new rubbish trap will be located near Taman Impian Emas. The other two traps are at Kampung Laut and Taman Sutera.
“At present, between 30 and 40 tonnes of trapped rubbish are being cleared from Sungai Skudai monthly," Haffiz said when met at the MBIP full board meeting on Wednesday (Sept 28).
He said most of the rubbish was polystyrene and plastic bags, food containers, plastic bottles as well as bulk waste such as sofas and mattresses.
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Haffiz urged residents to stop treating rivers as an open dumping ground as their actions would cause pollution and contribute to disasters.
“This could lead to flash floods during a downpour," he said, adding that several areas in Iskandar Puteri were hit by flash floods three times last year and twice so far this year.
The worst affected areas were Kampung Baru Muafakat in Gelang Patah and Kampung Laut, Batu 10, Skudai in Johor Baru, he noted.
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On a related matter, Haffiz said MBIP has identified 25 potential temporary flood relief centres in Iskandar Puteri in the event of major floods in the coming months.
“We have held several meetings with the relevant agencies to face the floods, and the work includes clearing drains and waterways of rubbish and undergrowth," he said.
