Tree maintenance guidelines need improvement to avoid risk of falling trees - Melaka Exco
MELAKA - The Melaka government through its local authorities (PBT) will improve the guidelines and maintenance of roadside trees in their respective administrative areas to avoid the risk of falling in the event of storm.
State senior executive councillor (Exco) for Local Government Housing Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management Datuk Rais Yasin said in the uncertain weather, the move was to ensure that the trees were always in good condition, especially the old ones so as not to pose a danger to the public.
"I will ask the local authorities through their respective Landscape Departments to monitor and check if the trees in the inventory cannot be cut down and we will see what action can be taken because the safety factor is everything.
"For example, there are trees that are very old in Kampung Tampoi, Krubong and Kampung Cheng and if there is no choice, they need to be cut down otherwise if there is a storm they will fall and pose a danger to the public," he told reporters here, today.
Earlier, he presented Deepavali donations to 100 recipients at the Paya Rumput constituency (Japerun) Development and Coordination Committee Office and held a visit under the SWM Kasih Cahaya Deepavali programme at four recipient homes which was also attended by SWM Environment Sdn Bhd Corporate general manager Mohd Norlisam Mohd Nordin.
Commenting further, Rais said that people in this state were also asked to lodge complaints about trees that are at risk of falling to their respective PBT immediately so that action can be taken or channel the information directly to him personally if no action is taken.
He added that the PBT together with agencies and departments such as the Public Works Department (JKR) and the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) work together to ensure that the drainage system is always maintained to reduce the risk of flooding, especially ahead of the northeast monsoon (MTL).
"We found that there are clogged drains in certain areas due to rubbish and wooden branches, therefore we have asked them to carry out cleaning work in the respective locations to ensure smooth flow of water to avoid the risk of flooding," he said. - BERNAMA
