IPOH, 22 Nov (Bernama) -- Work to deepen the Bukit Merah retention pond in
Bagan Serai, expected to cost RM50 million, will be carried out next year to
reduce the flood impact in the Kerian district.
State Infrastructure, Public Utilities, Energy and Water Committee chairman,
Datuk Ramly Zahari, said that since work on the project could only be carried
out next year, studied had been carried out on the cost effectiveness of
deepening the pond, including to remove the accumulated sediment.
"The state government has looked into all available alternatives in
considering the option (deepening of the pond) because we do not want to take
the risk of interrupting the water supply for agriculture and domestic use," he
said in response to a question by Datuk Sham Mat Sahat (BN- Alor Pongsu) in the
State Assembly today.
He said among the aspects that had to be studied were the risk of
interrupting water supply for agriculture and domestic use, existing service,
dam''s age, lake ecology and Arowana fish sanctuary.
The state government, he said, also received several other proposals from
the private sector on ways to overcome floods in Perak.
-- MORE
ASSEMBLY-PERAK (POND) 2 (LAST) IPOH
Responding to a question by Khalil Idham Lim Abdullah (PAS-Titi Serong),
Ramly said that until Oct 31 this year, the state government''s zero-squatter
programme had achieved the 70 per cent target, with 4,288 people still living as
squatters.
He said that based on a survey conducted, there were 14,282 squatters in
Perak as on Dec 31, 2006, and from the total, 9,994 of them had been given
placement through village settlement programmes.
"The state government is confident of achieving the zero squatter by 2012,"
he added.
-- BERNAMA
NBA ZAZ MIS
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