Public Works Department, City Hall to step up efforts on drains
Published on: Thursday, June 13, 2024
By: Sidney Skinner
The outlet for the drain along Jalan Pekan Sindumin could barely be seen because of all the tall grass.
THE Public Works Department (PWD) will step up efforts to maintain the drains near the Sindumin market in Sipitang, while City Hall has called on the government concessionaire to do the same in a Likas neighbourhood.
This action was prompted by concerns about the possibility of flashfloods occurring at these separate locations, should the drains overflow during a downpour.
ADVERTISEMENT
A Sindumin stall operator noticed that the water level in some of the drains, along the access road to the market, was high.
The level of the water in the drains near the Sindumin market was observed to be high.
A homeowner in in Likas, on the other hand, was unhappy about the thick growth of water vegetation which had formed in the frontyard drain outside her premises.
Each of these individuals was under the impression that the drainage in their respective areas was being poorly maintained. They provided Hotline with the location of the affected drains which was forwarded to the relevant agencies.
A PWD spokeswoman said a check of its records revealed that Jalan Pekan Sindumin, which led to the market, was listed in its road register.
ADVERTISEMENT
She said one its concessionaire’s was tasked with looking after a 300 metre (m) length of this road, including the drains on either side of the stretch. “One of the company’s staff accompanied our officer on a check of the drainage in this area earlier this month after we learned about the hawker’s misgivings,” she said.
“They observed that the outlet for the drain to the Mengalong River could barely be seen as it was covered with tall grass. This has impacted the flow of water inside the drains near the market.”
The poor condition of the drains at Bayview Heights before they were cleaned is seen above.
ADVERTISEMENT
She said maintenance of the outlet, and section where the water from the drain emptied into the River, did not fall under the Department.
“We are working with the relevant agencies to deal with the irregularities noted during the inspection in the first week of June.”
A spokesman for the concessionaire said the section of Jalan Pekan Sindumin, for which it was responsible, was maintained according to a fixed schedule.
“The drains are cleaned twice a year, in January and July,” he said. “The grass on the verge on the verges are trimmed on a monthly basis.” Meanwhile, another government concessionaire has attended to the frontyard drains in Bayview Heights, in Likas, according to City Hall.
A spokeswoman for the agency’s Landscaping Department said two workers from the firm removed the water vegetation clogging up a 100m span of these structures towards the end of last month.
“This work was carried out on the same day that we informed the company’s management that the drains were overgrown with weeds,” she said.
She explained that the firm was responsible for maintaining drains along housing roads in the State Capital, while the agency attended to those behind residences under its jurisdiction.
One of the concessionaire’s workers puts his back into removing from the drains along Lorong Madu.
The former structures were cleaned according to a fixed schedule, with the same being done to the latter once every six months, according to her.
“Our workers will try to come in even before the scheduled cleaning, to deal with any complaints involving the back-yard drains.”
When it came to the grass on the drain reserves around residential properties, the spokeswoman said this maintenance was carried out by the agency’s staff on a monthly basis.
“The grass on the verges along Lorong Madu was most recently dealt with on the first day of the Harvest Festival public holidays.”
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
.jpg)
.jpg)
