Section 19 RA to look after river
The Star 28/10/2005

THE Section 19 Residents’ Association (RA) was officially recognised as the first residential organisation in Petaling Jaya to look after Sungai Penchala.

The association will look after the short stretch of the river from Jasmine Tower to the British American Tobacco factory area.

One of its responsibilities is to monitor the acidity (pH level) of the water at five different spots along the river once a month and submit the findings to the Global Environment Centre (GEC).

GEC, a non-government organisation that specialises in environmental issues, is supporting the project with a RM6,000 donation to the residents’ association, which was presented by GEC director Faisal Parish to Section 19 residents’ association chairman Tan Yew Leong.

The Centre for Environment Technologies also supported the project by donating the water monitoring equipment to the residents’ association. The event was launched by Selangor executive councillor for environment Datuk Ch’ng Toh Eng.

“The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) recently launched a national programme called ‘One State One River,’ whereby a river would be chosen as an exemplary river in each state,” said Ch’ng.

“The state government has chosen Sungai Penchala as that river, and under the programme, we have three objectives to achieve.

“The first is to ensure that the river achieves a water quality index of class two by 2015; the second is to make the river and its surroundings a natural recreational area, and the third is to ensure the river is free from floods and free of rubbish.”

As part of the launch, GEC did a presentation on the river in which it pointed to the various sources of pollution as well as pointing out several developments located along the river that placed buildings next to the river, which was hazardous.

Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) deputy president Zulkifli Ahmad, who represented MPPJ at the event, pledged the council’s support for plans to rehabilitate the river.

“If I’m not mistaken, there is supposed to be a two-metre reserve land buffer between a building and the river,” said Zulkifli, who promised to look into the issues raised by GEC.

The event also included an art competition and various fun activities for the family.