Residents living in fear of mudslides
Malay Mail 10/8/2005

AMPANG, Aug 10-The sight of earthworks on a hillslope next to their homes is giving residents in Jalan 2/3 Ampang Jaya the jitters.

They believe the earthworks, which began last week, are for a drainage system for a new housing project.

“I am worried that heavy rains could cause mudslides as the earthworks are on a steep slope,” said a resident who declined to be named. He claimed the earthworks had encroached into a green lung area.

“The slope is part of land that has been earmarked for a green lung. The State Government had decided that the land was not suitable for development and had instructed that it be left alone,” said the resident.

The State Government recently drew up a policy regarding hillside development following landslides on ridges in Hulu Klang.

Any slope with a gradient of more than 30 degrees is classified as Category Four and must be earmarked as a green lung. The classification provides clear guidelines of areas that can or cannot be developed.

The resident said the developer who is building about 100 bungalows on the hilltop, had encroached into the green lung by constructing a drainage system on the slope.

“They also felled several trees and removed some rocks on the slope. These acts can destabilise the slope,” the resident said, adding that several complaint letters have been sent to Ampang Jaya Municipal Council which had sent their officers to check the work site.

The council could not be contacted for comment.

When The Malay Mail visited the site yesterday, workers and heavy machinery were busy carrying out earthworks on the slope.