Thumbs Down
By A. Jeyaraj
Lately due to frequent rain, the water level in Sungai Pari is high and garbage, mostly plastic stuff get stuck at the low deck bridge along Jalan Raja in Kampung Manjoi and restricts the smooth flow of water which causes flooding.
A number of times, MBI has sent lorries and tractors to clear the garbage. The tractors have damaged the concrete wall along the bridge. Now there is a big opening in the wall. If the water level gets high, the floating garbage would be strewn onto the road. This is what happened during the major flooding in 2012 when the river water overflowed the bund. The height of the bund has been raised, but a new opening at a lower level has been created.
The damage in the wall has been there for some months and the gap has become bigger. MBI staff visit the site regularly and must have seen this, but nothing has been done. Are they waiting for the garbage to overflow before repairing the wall? The water is also eroding the soil beneath the bridge, exposing the buried pipeline. The side of the bridge must be fortified.
There used to be a siren warning when the water reaches the danger level, informing residents on the possibility of flooding. There is no siren now and I am told that it has been stolen. The flooding normally takes place late in the evening or early night when people are least prepared for it.
The low deck bridge was identified as one of the main causes for the major flooding in 2012 and it was to be upgraded. There was an allocation of RM50 million for flood mitigation works. So far no action has been taken. This problem would be there until the bridge is upgraded.
It looks like the residents have to wait for another major flooding before upgrading will be done.
