Residents


claim sewerage project causing cracks on floor and wall to widen

.

CRACKS


on the houses along Lorong 14/15A are getting wider each day and residents are


urging the authorities to help prevent their homes from collapsing.

They


claim that the nearby PJ North sewerage system project has caused the cracks to


form on their walls and floors of their houses.

''It


is very obvious the cracks are getting bigger every day.

"The


cracks on my floor are now at least 2cm wider as compared to a week ago," said


resident Wong Chong Weng.

Wong,


who lives on the corner of Lorong 14/15A, added that there were vibrations


every time the contractors turned on the machine parked beside his home.

The


machine is there to help facilitate upgrading works which consists of the


rationalisation and decommissioning of 119 multi-point sewerage treatment


plants.

This


involves the designing and building of sewerage works at the Penchala Pantai


North sewerage catchment area and upgrading of the 40-year-old system in PJ


North.

Five


new pump houses would be built at various parts of the pipeline to channel the


sewage flow into the Pantai Regional Sewerage Treatment Plant 2 (STP).

The


55-year-old added that workers had gone to his house to do soil testing last


week.

"They


did the soil testing but never got back to us with the results and we do not


even know how safe it is to live here," he said.

Wong's


parents, who are now in their 90s, moved into the neighbourhood in 1968. The


project has led them to endure sleepless nights.

"We


want the results of the soil test now as we want to know what is going on," said Wong's neighbour, S.M. Kadir.

He


explained that contractors showed them the soil testing report but it was too


technical for them to understand.

No


explanation was given on the results.

According


to residents, upgrading works at their lane had been completed, but the 9.1m


deep manhole was not covered and the equipment was still stored there.

"When


I asked, the workers said they could not move the machinery because the works


along Jalan 14/15 were not complete and this was one of the main points


connecting other areas along the road," he said.

The


underground sewerage pipe upgrading involved Jalan 14/36, Jalan 14/29 and


Lorong 14/15A.

"We


hope the contractors will move their machinery elsewhere and close the hole so


we can have peace of mind," he said.

In


addition to the heavy machinery parked at the entrance of their lane, half of


the road was still blocked by hoarding.

With


the view of oncoming traffic obstructed, motorists faced greater danger when


entering and exiting the lane.

"The


workers stationed there to direct traffic do not know how to manage traffic," he said.

Residents


also hoped the contractors would be held responsible for the damage caused to


their homes and solve the issues immediately to prevent the situation from


worsening.