Hill cutting and land clearing bring misery to Penampang folks
Published on: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Penampang: Recent hill cutting and land clearing are taking an extra toll on residents, ranging from unbearable heat due to loss of vegetation cover to extremely muddy water in upper Moyog which is abnormal considering the current dry spell. In Upper Moyog, gravity water supply has dried up and the villagers cannot fall back on the river which used to be crystal clear. ADVERTISEMENT A barrage of complaints from villagers, village chiefs, chairmen of JKKK and River Tagal leaders were received by District Chief Bryan Matasing who conducted a whole morning of inspection, Wednesday, together with Asst Native Chief Pius Kunsung who hailed from Moyog. All the rivulets flowing into the river were found to be clean albeit with low flow except for one that flows through Kg Mongkusilad where the rivulet shares the same name. This rivulet was found covered with clay and mud. Above this rivulet was massive land cutting activity that was the subject a dialogue at Kg Notorus community hall in December 2014. During this dialogue, the owner of the project did not bother to attend prompting a lady from the village to ask what is so special about this peninsula businessman that even the authorities were helpless or reluctant to act. She urged the MACC to step in.ADVERTISEMENT A hill farmer Poungi Gumas, 64, from Kg Rugading Baru has a farm house on the opposite side of the river said the exact location of this hill cutting is Mile 24 Tambunan Moyog Road. He had cultivated a plot for rubber trees and fruits since 1982 and is now affected by the mud as his plot lies below the hill cutting.
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Gumas who was met on site said he had seen forestry officers and others coming to take photographs but it seemed all were meant for show only.Photographs taken during this inspection sufficiently proved the methodology of hill cutting was the culprit.A retired engineer said hill cutting is not a problem provided mitigation measures as stated in the specifications are followed. This is a private project and the owner could not care less about mitigations to protect the environment, he said. "Excess loose earth were simply pushed down the steep side of a tall cliff and the slightest rain will wash them down into the river. He might as well have dumped truck loads of clay straight into the river water."The engineer further opined that earthfill is now very expensive in Penampang and the man would have sold his excess earth and covered his GST. Even if the stop work order is really enforced, it would take another 10 years for all that loose clay to be completely washed down the river, he added.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Matasing informed that apart from the villagers who used to take their water supply from the river, others affected are 28 tagal system, 5 eco-tourism and a supplementary water intake for the Water Department at Kg Madsiang.The retired engineer suggested all those affected should combine their resources and claim for compensation in a class-action lawsuit against the peninsula businessman while the evidence is still fresh.