Worry over KB sand dumping
Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2020
KOTA BELUD: The State Government is urged to find a solution to the heaps of mined river sand to the tune of hundreds of million metric tonnes which is becoming a serious problem, here (pic). Usukan Assemblyman Datuk Japlin Akim said the State Government appointed several companies to do river sand excavation from the Kadamaian River down to Kuala Abai river mouth.ADVERTISEMENT
The sand quarry activities were meant to deepen and clean the river concerned as part of the plan to assist in handling the flood problem in the district.
However, these created a serious problem as the dunes of excavated river sand are abandoned as they have exceeded the demand of the local construction industry.
“The State Government must immediately find a solution to this problem in Kota Belud considering the quarry companies are facing difficulty selling the supply.
“One way is to allow export of the river sand to neighbouring countries in need of such supply like Brunei Darussalam and China,” he said, Wednesday.ADVERTISEMENT
Japlin said this would accommodate the cost of the companies which had been appointed by the Government.
He together with State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong and Rural Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick inspected several river sand excavation sites at Kuala Abai River in March this year.
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That time Wong also inspected the river sand supply in the sand storage area and said there are more than enough for the construction and development works in Kota Kinabalu.
“The river sand stock in Kota Belud is facing a serious over supply problem until it becomes a burden to the sand quarry companies.”
Japlin also said the sand sediments settling in the river mouth is the main cause to the frequent floods in Kota Belud, adding the Kota Belud rivers and river mouth have become shallow due to the 2015 earthquake while the inefficient flow of the rivers here also contributed to the frequent flood.
He also said it was time the State Government appointed a company to do the river sand digging, deepening and excavation based on “Design and Build” and “Pay in Kind” where the Government need not to pay for the project.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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The company concerned is allowed to excavate and sell the sand involved in the digging works throughout the project period to pay for the cost of the project, he said.
However after the 14th General Election in 2018, the new State Government revoked the contract of this company and appoint 10 new companies using the same concept and work scope.