By Suhaila Shahrul Annuar
KUALA LANGAT, Feb 2 — A series of new measures to improve flood management and guarantee Selangor’s raw water resources will be announced soon, said state executive councillor for infrastructure Izham Hashim.
The proposal will be presented in a workshop sometime this month, which will be attended by all relevant stakeholders via the Raw Water Guarantee Scheme (SJAM) initiative.
“We will conduct a workshop this month, and are currently waiting for the final report from River Care, the consultant appointed by Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB). They have an interesting study which can be of added value to flood management or water resource management in the state.
“This will be unique and cannot be found in other states. Following the workshop, I will hold a press conference to explain the new steps we will implement,” he said, following his visit to the Bandar Saujana Putra flyover construction site earlier today.
Izham added that one of the areas of concern is over flood management, which is closely related to the unusual increase in urban heat.
“Extraordinary urban heat will cause high local rainfall. Previously in the past, there were two ways for rainwater to flow, with 50 per cent absorbed into the earth and the remaining 50 per cent on the surface which flowed into drains.
“But due to urban heat, resulting from development as well as concrete and tar that are not environmentally friendly, the rainfall cannot be absorbed into the earth and must flow into the drains, which at the present is at 70 per cent capacity,” he said.
Izham noted even upgrades to drains from time to time will no longer be able to accommodate the increase water from rainfall, making the new preventative measures a necessity.
