EIA « KL-Putrajaya Highway, Government Project Gone Bad

Meeting with Dato Ketua Pengarah of LLM

Posted by sripetaling.net in Correspondences, Residents Actions on July 1st, 2009

Last week on 24 June 2009, Dato’ Ketua Pengarah of Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia organized a meeting to meet the residents representatives regarding the issues highlighted in our email earlier. It was a well represented meeting with relevant organizations like Kementerian Kerja Raya (KKR), Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), highway concessionaire and of course LLM themselves.

The meeting provided a platform for us to reestablish our long forgotten struggle and reengage with LLM to seek a resolution to our issues. We were also glad that we were able to share our concerns and highlight any incorrect information that was provided to Dato’ Ketua Pengarah previously.

We presented 3 key issues of which we are seeking resolution to immediately. They are :

1. Long outstanding decision for an amicable solution
Independent studies by Biro Pengaduan Awam and Jabatan Audit Negara confirmed the flaws in the approval of the highway project which has caused a negative impact to the residents. They have recommended the Government to find a solution which included the acquisition of all the affected houses or provide compensation on any loss incurred by the affected residents.

Based on our previous survey conducted with the affected residents, the majority wanted compensation for the loss of market value and cost to mitigate air and noise pollution (eg. installing air conditioning system, double glazed windows, ionisers and exhaust fans).

2. Noise pollution far exceeded the limit approved
We also presented our findings where the noise levels have exceeded the approved limit stated in the condition of EIA approval.

We hope that Government is able to provide a better quality of life for the residents living next to the highway by installing noise barriers of appropriate height for both above in the elevated section and below the highway to mitigate the noise impact to the level in compliance with the EIA approval.

3. Outstanding repair work / compensation for houses with cracks
We also highlighted to Dato’ Ketua Pengarah that the repair work / compensation for houses with cracks and the monitoring work by DBKL have halted.

We believe that Dato’ Ketua Pengarah will be able to conduct a thorough review of the progress and resume the initiative to repair / compensate the cracked houses

We sent in an official letter summarizing our meeting with LLM on June 26 of which Dato’ Ketua Pengarah had replied indicating that he will be preparing a report to be sent to Ministry of Works while some of the items needs to be brought to the Minister’s attention for resolution.

We would like to thank Dato’ for looking into this matter on behalf of the affected residents and hopefully we can see the light soon.

The exact details of our letter can be found here. [page 1][page 2][page 3][page 4]

Dust, EIA, House cracks, Issues Unresolved, Letters, LLM, Maju Holdings, Malaysia Ministry of Works, Noise, Pollution, SPRA

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Letter to LLM on 14 key issues with very late reply

Posted by sripetaling.net in Correspondences, News & Developments, Residents Actions on September 18th, 2005

The Highway Residents Action Committee wrote a letter to the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) to seek clarification on how such a project is approved whereas Acts, bylaws and guidelines are breached in the process of project planning. Here are the main questions

Question 1

Under JKR’s guideline, a highway requires a minimum reserve width of 60m. The existing main road, Jalan 2/149, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling has only 32m width reserve, which does not fultill the above requirement.

Question 2

Under LLM’s guideline, all development areas are required to have a minimum setback (buffer sone) of 19m from the ROW of the highway. There is no buffer zone provided along Jalan 2/149 to separate the highway from the existing houses

Question 3

Under the National Land Code Act (Act 56 of 1956) section 5, buildings are defined as any structure on land. With respect to public health, safety and protection of urban environment, the Regulation Guidelines required minimum separation distances measured between buildings or structures to property boundaries. The elevated building structure of the highway which has a set back 6ft (2m) from the property boudaries along Jalan 2/149 can never comply with any Act, bylaws and guidelines.

Question 4

Under the Environment Act 1972, maximum levels of noise and air pollution are defined for residential areas. The cumulative noise and air pollution generated by the existing road and elevated highway would far exceed the levels permitted by the Act. To-date, we have yet to be convinced by the relevant authorities that mitigation measures to be taken could reduce the noise and air pollution levels to the compliance limits.

Question 5

Serious air pollution will pose hazard to health…

Question 6

Safety is threatened as car may ramp over or small object may fly over and injure residents’ at their backyard

Question 7

Residents request Government to acquire one row of houses west of the highway

Question 8

Disturbance during construction stage. eg dust and noise pollution…

Question 9

Bituminous spray on road pavement will affect health and belongings…

Question 10

Why alternative alignment is not studied and recommended in the EIA report?

Question 11

Why not change the highway alignment to follow Besraya or KL-Seremban Highway and bypass Bandar Baru Sri Petaling?

Question 12

Why distance between highway parapet and the residential houses which is only 2m are not stated in EIA report? Why the reports choose to indicate the distance to the kindergarten which is further away?