MELAKA – The Melaka Water Regulatory Authority (BKSA) has raided and cut off utilities to 10 premises found operating illegally at the Durian Tunggal Dam in Alor Gajah, in an integrated operation yesterday.
BKSA water resources director Faizah Abdul Rahman @ Sulaiman said the operation was conducted to combat agricultural encroachment activities in the area.
She said although the land eviction notice had been issued by the Alor Gajah District and Land Office, the illegal activities conducted in the area were still going on.
“The main focus of the operation is to detect illegal premises such as storerooms, jetties, and workers’ houses built on reserve land that are equipped with electricity and clean water supply before cutting them off.
“During the operation, a foreign worker was also detained for not having a valid work permit,” she said in a statement here today.
Faizah said apart from BKSA and the Immigration Department, the operation also involved enforcement officers from the Alor Gajah District and Land Office, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, and the Royal Malaysian Police.
She said the authorities had taken various steps to prevent encroachment by irresponsible parties, including installing a fence at the water catchment area.
“The public is also urged to jointly combat land encroachment to protect water catchment areas from activities that can affect the environment such as land clearing and dumping of wastes into water resources,” she said. – Bernama, January 28, 2021
