Lake area in Kota Damansara earmarked for 'nature park'
19/07/2005 Malay Mail By Najmuddin Najib

The Selangor Government has reassured Damansara Indah residents that their neighbourhood lake will not be developed into a high-rise apartment project.

State Exco in charge of Housing and Local Government Datuk Mokhtar Dahlan said the lake, off Jalan Teknologi in Kota Damansara would be converted into a ‘nature park’ for nearby residents.

Residents had feared that the lake area, a popular site for migratory birds such as herons, kingfishers and eagles, would make way for an apartment project.

The lake is now designated as a water retention pond.

Reassuring the residents that there would be no such project in the area, Mokhtar said: “The lake will be converted into a nature park which the residents can enjoy, with access roads to enable residents to enter the lake area.

“A jogging track might also be built,” he said, during a visit to the lake yesterday, accompanied by Selangor Development Corporation and Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) officers.

Also present were Damansara Indah Residents Association representatives, including its chairman Mohd Balwant Abdullah.

In spite of a private company’s submission of an application to develop the lake and its surrounding areas, Mokhtar was adamant it would not transpire.

“The residents have made it clear that they want the lake to be preserved as a water retention pond.

“I will suggest to the company that they choose more suitable areas,” he said.

However, the Damansara Indah residents are not convinced. A resident who declined to be named, said the neighbourhood received a letter from MPPJ yesterday morning, informing them of the upcoming development plans.

The letter by the council’s Development Planning Department dated July 12, was sent to all houses in the area.

The contents stated that the company was seeking the council’s approval to build three blocks of flats containing 528 units, a five-storey commercial centre with 278 housing units and three blocks of condominiums housing 300 units in the area.