PASIR PUTEH, Oct 9 — More than RM22 million has been allocated by the Federal and state governments to prevent and reduce the risk of floods expected to hit Kelantan at the end of this year to early next year.
Kelantan Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Biotechnology, Green Technology and Environment Committee chairman Tuan Mohd Sarupudin Tuan Ismail said more than RM19 million of the allocation was through the Federal government and the rest from the state government.
“Among the projects are the deepening of the main rivers including Sungai Kemubu and Semerak, besides the construction of drainage and water reservoirs which are expected to be completed soon,” he said when met by Bernama here, today.
Tuan Mohd Sarupudin who is also the Selising state assemblyman was asked to comment on the state government’s preparations to face the possibility of floods to prevent the destruction of homes and property as in the ‘Bah Kuning’ incident in 2014.
Commenting further, he said the state government was working closely with various other government agencies, among them the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA) involving Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Bachok and Pasir Puteh districts as well as the Drainage and Irrigation Department.
On the ongoing flood mitigation project in progress, he said, among others, irrigation and drainage system upgrading to prevent flooding and river maintenance was being carried out at a cost of RM540,000, small works (RM640,000) and repairing drainage to prevent flooding at Pasar Batu 8, in Kuala Krai ( RM1.5 million).
“A project to upgrade concrete drainage was also implemented in the Kadok state constituency, Kampung Batu, Kota Bharu at a cost of RM241,500,” he said.
Apart from that, work to deepen and clean the drainage was also carried out in Kampung Tasek and Tualang Tinggi in the Selising state constituency, as well as Kampung Nara, Telaga Gayong and Jelor in the Limbongan state constituency.
“The projects are to drain excess water to Sungai Semerak-Tok Bali Canal-South China Sea,” he added. — Bernama
