Stop throwing rubbish indiscriminately

I WANT to share a situation in Penang that many may not be aware of or even take for granted.

We have seen quite a number of drain upgrade projects in and around George Town and also areas within the purview of Penang Island City Council. These are also part and parcel of any road widening projects undertaken.

These includes the drain upgrade for part of Jalan Perak leading to the five-way junction with Jalan Macalister and Jalan Berek.

The road widening projects of course would be those along Jalan Masjid Negeri and also the U-turn to Jalan Yeap Chor Ee and Jalan Delima. Plus others like the drain upgrade project along Lorong Perak and Jalan Free School.

There was great distress for both residents and motorists when the works were carried out.

Yet, as I see the big culverts placed underground, which are then covered over with either a grassy pavement or a proper pavement helpful for the visually impaired pedestrians, I realised there is a lot more to these projects. I then sought to find out more about them, and the answer became clear — to retain more water.

This becomes very helpful in times of a very severe and sudden deluge where the flowing water needs to go somewhere. This has, to a significant measure, reduced the occurrences of flash foods within the George Town area.

Many who stay in locations where in the past a flash flood was a norm, must now sense a much less frequency of such flooding.

Of course, we still have the perfect storm scenario where the heavy rains coincide with high tides leading to an inevitable slowing down of the water outflow. Let us not forget too the lackadaisical attitude of people who indiscriminately discard rubbish into the drains, choking up the rivers.

We should do our part. Stop throwing rubbish into the drains. Appreciate what has been done thus far by the local council and seek to do more when a need arises, to make our dwelling place cleaner and a better place for all.