NURADZIMMAH DAIM New Straits Times 23 Mar 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: The occurrence of mud floods in Cameron Highlands was due to prolonged medium downpour, high sediment at the Sultan Abu Bakar hydro-electrical dam, structural encroachment on water channels, and the drastic increase in farming development using agriculture plastic houses, Parliament was told.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said among the measures taken to counter this include the flood mitigation projects at Sungai Bertam and Sungai Ringlet, a national-level long-term comprehensive study on flash floods which was completed in 2013, preparation of the Cameron Highlands' environmental-friendly irrigation system master plan and the proposed implementation of the rain water harvesting.
"The rehabilitation efforts also include replanting of some 6,000 trees at the affected areas, so far. We aim to plant one million trees by 2020. The Sungai Bertam and Sungai Ringlet mitigation projects, which include the riverbank rehabilitation, cost RM40million and RM58million, respectively," he said.
The recurrence of floods at Cameron Highlands which claimed lives had prompted the government last year to launch a war against illegal farm operators who were found encroached on some 6,000 ha of land there.
A Cameron Highlands' special meeting in January has set a six-month deadline for the relevant agencies to review and prepare a long-term local plan for the area as part of rehabilitation efforts.
The efforts also include ongoing enforcement on the encroached land and illegal immigrants.
The floods in Kampung Raja near Ringlet and Lembah Bertam here on Nov 5 last year claimed the lives of five people and caused more than 90 victims evacuated.
