By Azian Aziz
HULU SELANGOR, Jan 14 — The Public Works Department (JKR) together with the District and Land Office (PDT) have been asked to maintain constant monitoring of the slopes of the B66 Jalan Batang Kali – Genting Highlands route, so as to prevent further landslides.
Batang Kali state constituency coordinator Saifudin Shafi Muhammad said although the slope repair work at the site of the nearby Batang Kali landslide tragedy, which took place on December 16 last year, is still ongoing, landslide risks still pose a hazard.
“Now the route has been opened up to vehicles, thus necessitating more frequent monitoring efforts as a preventive measure to avoid landslides,” he said.
Saifudin Shafi was speaking at the appreciation ceremony for 10 government agencies that participated in the search-and-rescue operations for the tragedy’s victims, at Wisma Antara Gapi in Hulu Selangor yesterday night.
The tragedy that took place at Father’s Organic Farm in Batang Kali claimed 31 lives, including 12 children and a one-year-old baby boy, while 61 survived.
Meanwhile, he also asked the local authorities to review the guidelines for camping businesses in all risky areas, to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.
On January 6, the Batang Kali – Genting Highlands route in Hulu Selangor was reopened to vehicles under the control of the authorities.
