Sand extraction takes toll on Tandek folks
Published on: Saturday, November 29, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: Several reports have been lodged against a sand extraction firm operating illegally at a river in Tandek in 2007, but no action was taken by authorities until fishing was periodically prohibited in the river under the tagal system in October 2012. However, two months later, the firm received its sand extraction permit from the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry despite opposition from about 600 villagers. Until today the company continues to extract up to 10 tonnes of sand from the Kanarom River, which has resulted in its depth increasing by 10 feet and erosion has worsened the river.
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Up to three police reports had been made against the firm, while an official complaint has been forwarded to the Kota Marudu District Office back in 2007. But according to Kg Rakit village leader Kamsah Tauanan, no action has been taken by the authority. He said his fellow villagers in Kg Rakit, Kg Tarung Kapas and Kg Goruntung are dependent on the river for clean water supply and cleaning. The river had turned murky from the extraction and constant erosion, while the number of local fish had also dwindled in numbers, he said.
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"There is no water supply here, so we depend on the river. Now not only the water quality has deteriorated, the number of fish has also dwindled although the river has been put under tagal," he told the Daily Express, here. Even worse, the years of extraction had also taken a toll on the concrete bridge, causing its pylon foundations to be fully exposed with no ground support.
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