Gazetting Babagon water catchment
Published on: Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Penampang: Public announcement process concerning the government's proposed move to gazette Babagon water catchment area is nearing completion.According to Water Resource Unit Head of the Natural Resource Office (NRO) Ag Shahminan Sahari, communities residing in surrounding areas have been engaged in the process that began last year."So far the public announcement process has been going on well and we're now reaching the final stage," he told Daily Express during a River Environmental Education Programme (REEP) phase 3 workshop organised by the NRO in Kg Tampasak, Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said following this process, communities will be further engaged with regard to guidelines on what human activities are allowed and disallowed under the gazette.The REEP workshop was part of the Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) programme that aims to educate communities on the ecological concept of a water catchment area.Two previous workshops had been organised last year in Kg Madziang in Penampang and Kg Kolosunan and Babagon Toki in Inanam.Under the Water Supply Act 1998, communities must be informed about the government's proposed plan by way of consultation prior to any decision.
ADVERTISEMENT
The government aims to gazette the Babagon water catchment area to ensure safe and reliable water supply to consumers in the West Coast.The earmarked area to be gazetted includes the 19-year-old Babagon Dam that supplies water to thousands of consumers in five districts - Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Papar, Putatan and Penampang.
ADVERTISEMENT
The biggest dam in the State had experienced low levels of water as recent as the first few months last year due prolonged drought spell. Unsustainable human activities have been blamed as the main reason which the proposed move to gazette the area aims to address and also ensure the condition of the catchment area is able sustainably feed water to the dam for years to come.The workshop was supported technically by JICA-SDBEC, Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Parks, Jetama, Penampang District Office, Land and Survey Department and State Water Department all of whom made their respective presentations to the participants under the "Love Your Catchment Area" theme.In a previous workshop, DID Water Resources Management Division Senior Assistant Director Miklin Ationg, had said the gazette will involve zoning of area as protected and conservation.Under conservation he said the traditional community will be allowed to remain but their activities will be subjected to specified guidelines to ensure they are sustainable.Experts have described water catchment areas as a sponge that stores huge amount of water underground that can readily meet the demand of a huge population for many years if remain undestroyed.Of late, the district has been bogged with environmental issues including those caused by hill cutting and land clearing activities for economic purpose.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
