Residents of Section U10 in Shah Alam have once again raised concerns over land clearing activities in Bukit Cherakah after discovering that the closest water catchment was heavily polluted allegedly from land erosion.
According to several residents who spoke on condition of anonymity, the land erosion was caused by ongoing development behind the Perdana Heights residential area in Shah Alam.
They said the area under development used to be a natural water catchment, surrounded by several lakes.
One of the residents, who wished to be known as SR, complained that the once blue-ish greenish lake is now murky brown like "teh tarik".
The resident, who shared several photographs taken after recent heavy rainfall, said one of the main problems was sediment in the lake that caused water levels to rise from time to time.
"Soon, the water will start flooding the areas. When I first moved here, the sight of the area was serene. Beautiful green/bluish water and you could even see fish swimming.
“Recent developments in the nearby plot have caused severe damage to the surroundings," said SR.
In explaining the current situation, he said land clearing would not be possible without the use of explosives, given the hilly land structure in the area.
"I find my glass door and walls rattling noisily when the blasts occur. It’s scary at times being at home hearing the blast and the aftershock that shakes the house," he said.
Further, SR said there is also wildlife in the habitat that would be affected by the activities.
"Even recently, a delivery boy was bitten by a snake while doing his delivery," he said, adding that other animals spotted in the area include rare tapirs.
Aggressive development
Another resident shared similar concerns about the environmental impact of ongoing developments.
"The lake used to look greenish, blueish and very clear water but because of the land clearance, the water became like teh tarik...
"That is one apparent thing that happened to the neighbourhood. Now it is slowly showing signs of landslide or corrosion," said the Perdana Heights resident.
She had moved into the neighbourhood last September but is no stranger to areas around Puncak Alam, Perdana Heights, and Sunway Kayangan, witnessing the “aggressive” ongoing developments.
Among others, she said there were constant sounds of explosives being used to clear the rocks.
"I can feel the vibration and my neighbours who are nearer to the location could see the very high impact from the blasting," she said.
Concerns of major floods
Previously, land work was carried out near two lakes - one of which is adjacent to the Perdana Heights neighbourhood.
The area is identified as Compartment 35 Bukit Cherakah forest. The Town and Village Planning Department's website states that the land marked as Lot 57621 belongs to the Selangor government.
Meanwhile, the Land and District Office records showed that a developer was awarded a 99-year lease on the land from Aug 11, 2020. Satellite images showed that land clearing had started before the date.
A Land and District Office sign on the site stated that permit for land works was only granted from September to November 2020.
A third resident who spoke to Malaysiakini said while the developer had sent a worker to inspect the site, the lake water remains polluted.
"This actually shows that the development, despite all necessary precautions taken, is causing water levels to go up as well as the pollution.
"This is our concern. It will definitely cause massive flooding," she said.
She also shared photographs that showed a comparison in terms of water quality in the lake.
"The water level seems to be increasing from our observation. We are wondering if it’s due to the rise in the lake's bed.
"The developer had been continuously exercising controlled blasting approved by the authorities on the hill despite the rains. As a result, we see the colour of the water change drastically," she said.
Malaysiakini has contacted Selangor Environment and Orang Asli Affairs exco Hee Loy Sian with regards to the residents' complaints. - Mkini
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