THE Sungai Kertas, Ulu Yam, landfill landslide was the most talked about issue at the Selayang Municipical Council full board meeting.
All the councillors had suggestions of their own which they contributed to the discussion that lasted more than 45 minutes.
Councillor Zulkifli Hamzah suggested that the MPS set up a task force for natural disasters in the long run.
Zulkifli, who was sore with the media, refused to divulge any extra information on the issue.
Still smoking: Zainal said that by Saturday, there was less smoke at the landfill site. “Not many offficers from the MPS were present at the site after the disaster occurred,” he said.
His opinion was seconded by Lee Khai Loon who added that stricter by-laws should be introduced to ensure such problems do not reoccur.
Lee added that there should be constant supervision on landfill areas to determine the contractors who frequent them.
Another councillor Datuk Paduka Raja Wan Mahmood Pa Wan Teh said there should be 24-hour vigilance through CCTVs to monitor the lorries driving in and out of the illegal landfills.
MPS president Datuk Zainal Abidin Azim said the existing task force which was sent out for floods and other problems could be expanded to serve as a natural disaster task force.
However, he said CCTV cameras were not feasible in the long run at landfills as they might get stolen.
“Anyway, Sungai Kertas is the only place and after it is sanctioned for a project, there will be people on surveillance so it is not necessary,” Zainal Abidin said.
He added that by last Saturday, the smoke emission from the landfill had reduced significantly and MPS officers and contractors were levelling the garbage.
According to him, the fire was caused by natural gases and they are building drains to ensure new fires do not break out.
“For now, we have four to five people there on shift, round-the-clock with contractors and workers working till 7pm to level the garbage,” Zainal Abidin said.
He added that work should be completed within the next one month.
The two affected cattle farmers have been relocated to a lot near the landfill temporarily until the state government decides on the new place to relocate all the farmers from the area.
Zainal said the state would be seizing the land from the owners while the Department of Environment would be taking the landfill operator to court.
“After the state government has seized the land, they will decide on the next possible method to treat the area,” he added.
On another issue, councillors were concerned about residents illegally occupying a few semi-detached lots built in Bukit Botak for squatters.
“The action lies with the state government and the land office.
“They are in the process of collecting details from the residents so they can be placed accordingly,” he said.
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