TAMAN Ukay Heights residents have claimed that a developer contracted to repair a monsoon drain is instead clearing the slope of a hill that was recently hit by mudslides.

On November 11 last year, a downpour led to severe flooding and damage to properties in the neighbouring areas of a worksite in Jalan Ukay 2.

The flood – the first to hit since the development of Ukay Heights in 1953 – is believed to have resulted from soil liquefaction and mudslides at a landfill that had clogged the area’s drainage network.

Following the incident, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) issued a stop-work order on all works on the hillside.

However, residents said the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has issued a no-objection order for the developers to repair a damaged monsoon drain.

They said the contractor has not confined works to repairing the said drain, and instead, stripped the entire slope of mature trees and dumped truckloads of earth on the site.

“A stop-work order was given by MPAJ, and that still holds. We are wondering why DID is letting the developer carry out monsoon drain repairs, which should be their (DID’s) duty. And if only to carry out monsoon drain repairs, why are they (contractor) doing all the work?” resident Chacko Vadaketh told a press conference today.

There are 16 families living in Ukay Heights 2.

Vadaketh said residents have written a letter to DID to object to the work being carried out, but they have yet to get a response.

“We would like DID to acknowledge the letter sent just before Chinese New Year (on January 28). The letter was sent by registered post and email,” said another resident, Marguerite Brodie.

“What we are concerned about is that the developer came in through the back door and cut all the trees down, and since then, we’ve had unprecedented storms. We haven’t seen much supervision from MPAJ and DID.

“The contractor has not replanted trees, and only put in place temporary mitigation measures.”

Residents said the project poses a potential safety hazard and is a nuisance to neighbouring properties, apart from Ukay Heights folk.

Environment impact assessment reports were not provided, and homeowners were neither notified about the development nor were their comments sought before work commenced, they said. – March 4, 2019.