Flash flood in area after land clearing

The Star, Friday, 26 August 2016

BY ROHAIZAT DARUS

FEARFUL residents living at the foothills of a rapidly developing hillslope project in Taman Ferngrove Cheras are demanding a stop-work order pending further investigations.

Residents from Taman Cuepacs Phase One claim the hillslope has a gradient of more than 45°, making it a Class C slope that is banned for development by the state government.

Unfortunately, the eight bungalow lots being developed had already been approved, much to the dismay of the residents who have been trying unsuccessfully to get more information on the project.

Residents recently held a protest to voice their displeasure and demand a stop-work order for the time being.

Taman Cuepacs Phase One Residents’ Association chairman Joan Francis said they had been asking for Environmental Assessment Impact (EIA) reports as well as confirmation of the hill’s gradient but to no avail.

They have met with the developer’s representative three times, the first on June 22 and the most recent just two weeks ago but the representative could not answer any of their queries.

“They keep pushing us to the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) but the Building Control department said it could not release the documents,” she said.

Fellow resident and former Petaling Jaya MP Kua Kia Soong said the state and MPKJ should intervene since they had long advocated the Local Government Act 1976.

“This development is against the blanket ban in 2009 by the then Mentri Besar of Selangor on all hillsides above 25° gradient,” he said.

He also said the federal and state governments assert that the local community must be informed of such developments and that necessary reports be conducted before any development should take place.

Despite their efforts, the developers started clearing the plots of land a month ago to begin building four bungalows.

RA assistant secretary Michael Lau said the signboard to notify the residents of the development was only put up after that but it lacked information on the approval and the developer’s licence number.

More worrying for them was a recent flood that affected the entire neighbourhood following the land clearing.

“The floods were caused by run off from the excessive cutting of trees and our monsoon drains at the corner of Jalan Koop Cuepacs 1 and Jalan Koop Cuepacs 2 are clogged up with dead branches and leaves,” Lau added.

The drains have also been eroding, increasing their fears especially since the development’s boundary markers are located less than a few meters from the drains.

Residents have asked the council to fix the drains for awhile now but nothing has been done so far.

The soil from the clearing works appear to be inching down and a downpour could trigger a landslip if not attended soon.

Residents are also worried that they will lose their green lung especially since it is home to a number of exotic animals.

Kua, who is also an avid birdwatcher, said he had spotted a Buffy Fish Owl previously, and the place was also home to three different types of monkeys including the Dusky Leaf Monkeys, Long tail Macaques and the Silver Leaf monkeys.

For now, the residents say they are not against the development but are looking for a win-win situation to ensure their safety as well as preservation of the green lung as well.

Present at the protest was Kajang councillor Young Syefura Othman, who confirmed that the relevant approvals had already been given.

When asked if the council should hold a public objection period for the development, Syefura said the she had checked with the relevant departments and was told it was not required.

“Based on the local plan, it is not required and according to the department, the developer has already conducted a geotechnical survey on the land parcel already,” she added.

Syefura, however, said she would forward the residents’ objections to the council and would organise a meeting between MPKJ, the residents and the developer.