RM900mil integrated river project underway in Kelantan
KOTA BARU: Integrated river basin development and coastal erosion mitigation projects worth close to RM900mil are underway in Kelantan.
Environment and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said 13 projects and programmes had been drawn up for implementation before year 2020.
The bulk of the allocation (RM872.25mil) are for two main projects involving Sungai Golok and Sungai Kelantan.
“This is being done for the benefit of people in Kelantan,” he said.
Dr Wan Junaidi was on a working visit to Kelantan on Deepavali Day to observe coastal erosion in Pantai Mek Mas and Pantai Kundur.
“Kelantan is among the states that are facing serious coastal erosion problems.
“Of the 179.5 km coastal stretch in Kelantan, 11% has eroded. The worst is at Pantai Pulau Kundor and Pantai Mek Mas where the average erosion rate is between 10m and 18m a year,” he said.
The Government had taken measures to control the erosion to safeguard lives and assets. The ministry, through the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), implemented a holistic coastal management plan.
However, co-operation between the Government, state government, developer and landowner was crucial to sustain beachfronts, he said.
DID conducted National Coastal Erosion Studies (NCES) in 2015 and found 15.3% of the coastal areas nationwide had eroded.
On the erosion problem in Kampung Pantai Kundur, Dr Wan Junaidi said emergency mitigation plans were being carried out including building wave breakers using geo-bag and granite stones in several locations.
As part of a long term plan, the Ministry had allocated RM17.5mil to mitigate erosion in Pantai Kundur-Mek Mas.
The project would be tendered out next month, and should be completed within 18 months.