Sand dredging poses danger to Jeniang bridge, says NGO

 

A screenshot from a supplied video showing Jeniang bridge in the distance. At foreground is NGO chairman Sobri Ramlee.

PETALING JAYA: A sand dredging project has led to riverbank erosion and poses a danger to Jeniang bridge in Kedah, according to an environmental group.

The organisation, Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera, called for action by the state government to protect residents. It said dredging was taking place some 900m from Jeniang bridge.

“And day by day, the dredger is getting closer to the bridge,” said its Kedah chairman, Sobri Ramlee, in a statement.

He said that a Muslim cemetery on the Sungai Muda riverbank was a mere 640m from the site of the sand dredging.

“There is also a high risk of the riverbank collapsing,” he said. Sobri said his group had previously objected to the project, and alleged that it had led to the collapse of a 2m-4m portion of the riverbank near residential houses.

He said he feared the project would cause traffic congestion and increase the turbidity of the water. - FMT