KUANTAN: Upgrading flood reservoir ponds and river restoration projects are among several flood mitigation efforts taken by Pahang to address the worsening flood phenomenon.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (BN-Jelai) said the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had received RM20.36 million for projects to minimise the impact of the floods in all 11 districts in Pahang.
"The DID has identified 158 river restoration projects worth RM16.54 million, RM1.9 million to upgrade 36 flood reservoir ponds and upgrading two dams with a cost of RM1.8 million. The Pahang DID has received RM6.14 million to execute 42 emergency works (resulting from floods).
"The Public Works Department (PWD) has begun to repair roads through the road repair and maintenance programme by resurfacing certain affected stretches and fixing five slopes which were damaged during the floods with a cost of RM14.48 million," he said when replying to a question from Datuk Md. Sohaimi Mohamed Shah(BN- Sungai Lembing) on the short and long term measures taken by the state government to solve the flood woes.
Wan Rosdy also said a post-flood post-mortem was held with all the District Officers, Public Works Department (PWD) and Drainage and Irrigation (DID) district engineers in Pahang to discuss measures to tackle floods in their respective districts.
"The meetings took about 10 days and after hearing the issues and proposals (to tackle floods), I instructed them to provide the short term measures that can help the state government overcome floods.
"The suggestions included building a helipad to supply relief should roads become impassable, providing amphibious rigid inflatable boat to be used both in land and water.....the total cost was around RM53 million and I have submitted the suggestions to the prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob)," he said, adding he was optimistic that the funds would be approved.
On the medium and long term plans, Wan Rosdy said the state DID had received approval from the Environment and Water Ministry under Rolling Plan 2 of the 12th Malaysia to carry out 11 flood mitigation projects with a total cost of RM1.9 billion which would be done in stages.
He said the DID had also proposed 36 long term and environment-friendly plans to curb floods under Rolling Plan 3 of the 12th Malaysia with an estimated cost of RM1.29 billion.
Wan Rosdy said the PWD had proposed eight alternative roads including new stretches with a cost of RM16.14 billion which would be utilised during the floods when the main roads are submerged or closed to traffic.
On the flood incidents along the East Coast Expressway (LPT1) near Lanchang which saw the stretch being cut off twice last year, Wan Rosdy said the federal government had agreed to upgrade the dual-carriageway in July this year.