Developers to pay if they fail to provide proper drainage system

15/11/2007 The Star By Elan Perumal

DEVELOPERS in Selangor who fail to adhere to rules and regulations on flood prevention may find themselves submerged in the litigation pool.

The local authorities in the state have been ordered to take tough action on the errant developers.

The State Government wants the local councils to impose a maximum fine of RM250,000 on any developer for the non-compliance of rules and regulations pertaining to flood prevention.

WATER WOES: Each time it rains heavily, houses and properties are damaged by floods, as seen in this file picture of Kg Kebun Bunga in Shah Alam.

“There is no compromise on this matter. The developers will have to face the music for their own doings. It is very unfair for the house-buyers and also the residents from neighbouring housing estates to suffer due to the irresponsible attitude of the developers,” State Infrastructure Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Fatah Iskandar said.

Fatah told Star Metro that the local authorities had the duty and responsibility to ensure that the developers provide proper drain-age system in their development areas so that they would not be subjected to flash floods.

“We will not allow the developers to run away from their responsibilities, especially after handing over the houses to the purchasers,” he said

Besides causing problems to the public, Fatah said the irresponsible attitude of the developers had also cost the government a lot of money.

In the past, he said, the state and the local authorities had to spend millions of ringgit on flood mitigation projects and it was time to put a stop to such a situation.

“The government should not be spending money to correct the blunders of these irresponsible developers who have raked millions in profits from their projects,” he said.

Fatah said that the state, meanwhile, was all set to face the possibility of floods during November and December.

According to Fatah, district-level action committees have been formed to monitor the situation in their areas and to implement measures to help the people in case there are floods.

“All the districts in the state have adequate manpower equip-ped with the necessary resources to face any flood situation. I do not think we have much of a problem,” he said.

“We hope the public will not panic but follow instructions and cooperate with the authorities when they are hit by flood,” he said.

Fatah said the authorities were anticipating heavy downpours between now and the end of December.