IPOH:The Perak government has denied claims that sand mining at Sungai Perak had resulted in the movement of soil at the water treatment plant (LRA) intake point at Teluk Kepayang, Bota, affecting 79,360 water-user accounts in the Manjung and Perak Tengah districts on March 31.
State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said that the sinking of the soil at the river embankment near the LRA caused pressure to build up, cutting off the water supply.
"If there had been sand-mining activities, we could have identified it sooner. But it was soil movement that caused the embankment to burst and pressure to build up in the water pipes hidden behind the embankment," he said after an Aidilfitri aid programme at Dewan Carsem, Maju Rapat yesterday.
On April 1, an environmental activist, claimed on Twitter that the raw water pipeline at Teluk Kepayang LRA burst following sand mining along Sungai Perak.
Nizar gave an assurance that the incident would not recur especially ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
"We have repaired the structures, specifically at the areas that had experienced water supply disruption," he said.
The Sungai Rapat assemblyman added that 150 recipients from the B40 group received assistance in the form of vouchers worth RM150 each as well as gift boxes containing daily necessities.
"It is hoped that this little gesture will be able to ease their burden in making preparations for Hari Raya," he said. --Bernama