Upgrade main drain rule for new development projects

GEORGE TOWN: Developers of new development projects in the city will be required to upgrade the main drain in their development areas to tackle the flash floods problem in the state.
State Local Government, Flood Mitigation and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the move was in accordance with ‘The Study on Flood Mitigation and Drainage in Penang Island’ as outlined by the Japan International Corporation Agency.
"For new development projects on the outskirts of George Town, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage will impose conditions on developers to upgrade the drainage system involved with its development according to the Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia, Stormwater Management and Drainage Master Plan for the Southwest District and flood mitigation studies that have been conducted for certain areas.
"Among other approaches taken by the state government to address flooding is through cleaning of problematic main drains using a cleaning machine periodically," he said during question time in the State Legislative Assembly today.
He was replying to Datuk Mohd Zain Ahmad (BN-Penaga) who had wanted to know the measures taken by the state government to tackle the problem of frequent flash floods.
Chow said that in addition to the upgrading of ditches and floodgates and the construction of flood control pumphouses in the affected residential areas, local councils were also regularly cleaning monsoon drains, waste traps and scupper drains.
He said a special monitoring and disaster operations team had been established to identify causes of the flooding and to help plan technical rehabilitation measures and cleaning operations. — Bernama