KUCHING: The Sarawak Forestry Department today confirmed that the recent logjam in the upper reaches of Sungai Batang Baleh was caused by the accumulation of wood debris at Baleh Hydroelectric Power (HEP) dam.
Sarawak Forest director Datuk Hamden Mohammad said the floating wood debris from the dam site subsequently came out through a diversion channel to Sungai Rajang.
"An extreme downpour of more than 100mm on Aug 21 triggered the movement of the debris and the massive surface run-off.
However, the situation has subsided after the rain stopped in the upper Baleh areas," he said in a statement today.
He said this was based on verification and aerial surveillance conducted by the department and other government agencies such as Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), Sarawak River Board (SRB) and Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB).
He said the state government was equally concerned over the impact not only on the environment but also the livelihood of the people along the river.
He said the state government has approved salvage logging activities since 2015 in the area that would be submerged for the purpose of development of the Baleh dam. The approved salvage logging activities are subject to full compliance of harvesting rules and regulations.
"All the affected timber licensees and contractors were jointly responsible for this incident, especially to clear and remove the debris," he said.
On Sunday, Deputy Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing said the logjam was caused by timber concessionaires operating in the headwaters of Batang Baleh, with devastating environmental impact.
He said the previous logjam in the headwaters of Batang Baleh happened in 2010, which stretched all the way from Kapit to Sibu and resulted in a riverine traffic jam.
Masing said dead fish and wildlife including carcasses of crocodiles were found floating in the river in the previous logjam. He also said it was common knowledge among HEP dam operators that such activities will cause siltation and thus will reduce the lifespan of the dam.
Meanwhile, Hamden gave his assurance that the Sarawak Forest Department will tighten their monitoring measures to ensure that there is no recurrence of the incident.
In addition, the state government has decided to set up a special task force committee led by the Urban Development and Natural Resources Ministry, consisting of various government departments and agencies and other stakeholders.
The committee would conduct a thorough investigation on the incident and to find a solution to mitigate the issues.