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Tuesday 5 September 2017

Invalid drainage and construction damaged nearby houses since 2014 must complete its mitigation quickly!

Underground Pipe Culverts from IJM Trehaus site on the left and nearby pond on the right

Behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 is an IJM Trehaus Project. 
Approximate Coordinates : 5°20'38.47"N,100°16'52.82"E
Reported  in August 2016. Photos taken in November 2016 and 2014 by Penang Forum
PHW Report 




https://hillclearinginpenang.ushahidi.io/views/map

Sources: Penang Hills Watch (PHW) | Penang Forum

Hill clearing activity by IJM Trehaus Project


Clearing and construction for a condo and semi-detached housing project, Trehaus, reported in http://anilnetto.com/ 26 Aug 2016. Photo taken in 2014 ...

IJM sign-boards
Behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 is an IJM Trehaus Project.

Underground Pipe Culverts from IJM Trehaus site on the left and nearby pond on the right

  Two invalid pipe culverts formed sinkholes at BJ Cove houses

Originally, there were two natural rivers/streams from the IJM Trehaus site and a nearby pond. No proper drainage system was implemented when housing development started, only two invalid hidden underground pipe culverts were built to channel the waters from the Bukit Jambul hill to Relau district.

The invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus project directly converged at BJ Cove houses from another invalid underground  pipe culvert from a nearby pond were burst, caused soil erosion, house slabs collapsed, multiple wall cracks, PBA water pipe burst, floods, sinkholes (by two pipe culverts converged in red) and damaged  to  BJ Cove houses due to blockages of waters whenever rains and because of lack of drainage system there.  The sinkhole which later converted into a manhole by IJM,  is a clear sign of soil erosion under the ground.

It is a common sense that waters from the natural rivers or streams are naturally running, seeped  through underground even the surface is covered by land-filled soil or with man made culverts.

Therefore, damages to houses were caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. 

The following shows the invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus site behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1:


IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove houses 2018
Waters rising from the IJM Pipe Culvert behind BJ Cove houses 2018
Waters are flowing back from another pipe culvert at IJM site to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert at bottom to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses
IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove Houses 

IJM Drains
IJM Drain Waters go  to the underground Culvert
IJM Underground Pipe Culvert next to BJ Cove Houses



The above and below show the bottoms of  IJM underground pipe culvert 







Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses:

Waters flow from IJM Trehaus to BJ Cove houses
 

Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses




Waters from IJM site stucked at behind BJ Cove houses

The nearby pond besides IJM Trehaus site:

IJM Hill cutting and hill Clearing 2014

Serious Drainage Issues


The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) has just started in September 2017 constructing the drain from the pond to divert waters:

A drain under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond
Drain waters flow plan under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond

 Letter from Penang Dept of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) in 2015 blamed IJM  failure to comply with sedement control plan (ESCP) when its Trehaus started in 2014.



Clearly, the underground pipe culverts leaked and waters seeped through the ground and multiple cracks,  as it did not happen immediately but over a period of time!




Developers dishonored directives/letters issued by Penang City Council (MBPP - Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) in 2015 to rectify the damaged house






Developers have not completed their committments to rectify the damages despite  acknowledged their liability as per letters from Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, an subsidiary of IJM Land since 2014!


 
 


Despite the underground pipe culverts declared invalid by JPS and the Penang City Council's (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, i.e. MBPP) issued stop work orders directing the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015 (as per the above attached letters), the multiple wall cracks, slabs collapsed, PBA water pipes burst, leakage charges, damaging ceiling, electrical DB board, and tiles fallen, broken/popped up,  are still pending settlement and remedial works to be carried out by parties responsible for the damages since 2014 !!



IJM Land only started in December 2017 constructing new drainage to divert waters from Trehaus Site to the pond and underground pipe culverts:


Pictures show IJM only started in December 2017 constructing drainage system to divert waters to the nearby pond and underground pipe culverts


Waters are flowing back to the pond during heavy rain 2018
Waters from IJM site overflown to the pond 2018
For waters to flow out smoothly, the pond must level up with more soils, 2018


Waters in the pond gone up during heavy rain 2018 - must build a wall  to prevent waters from seeping thru houses.
Waters cannot move out smoothly due to obstructions which are being removed by a man  2018
 

It is important that the pond should be made a dried pond instead of existing wet pond on the following reasons:

i) The area was originally a natural river/stream where waters will still be naturally running, seeped through underground even when the underground culverts are to be closed/abandoned later.

 

ii) More waters were being diverted from the IJM site to their underground pipe  culvert and to BJ Cove houses.

 

iii) Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back to IJM pipe culvert to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This poses concerns to residents at BJ  Cove houses.

c
IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses
IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses
Waters stuck behind BJ Cove houses at IJM site 2018

IJM Drain  waters  gushing  down to pipe culvert

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus

 

The damaged houses are still pending, not being completely rectified to date !

Damages appeared after IJM began construction works in 2014, like hill clearing, rock-blasting, piling and digging culvert at Trehaus site.  As a result, sinkholes appeared, floods, waters seepage through multiple cracks on the ground, walls, tiles fallen from roofs and popped up from the ground due to vibration from rock-blasting and piling works.

 
Sinkhole converted to manholes (2 in cycles) at BJ Cove houses are visible from the top of IJM Trehasu site

Pictures showing floods, sinkholes at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, 11900 Penang,  damaged to BJ Cove houses, cracks, waters leakages seeped through the cracks, slabs collapsed, ceilings & tiles broken & fallen, electrical DB board explosion, etc caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. The underground pipe leaked and waters seeped through the cracks!


A big Sinkhole near BJ Cove house no. 20

IJM converted the sinkhole into a manhole waters from their underground pipe culvert at Trehaus
These are IJM Manhole converted from Sinkhole:

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus


IJM converting the Sinkhole into Manhole next to  BJ Cove no. 20
Outside house drain and fence damaged by IJM during mitigation of Sinkhole
A big Sinkhole occurred due to invalid underground pipes culverts choked near house no. 20
Waters at the underground pipe culverts flown out from the house No. 20 to outside drain
 
Slabs collapsed due to cracks without compacted hardcore

Roof top Ceiling Board fallen due to strong vibration caused by IJM rock-blasting works 2014

Electric DB Board explored due to burst pipe waters seeped thru the wiring.



Waters leaked from the burst pipes entered into Bedrooms

 Multiple Cracks in Bedrooms 













Plumbers repaired the broken water pipes
















 

Truth Be Told:


The truths be told,  as echoed, reinforced and justified by recent events in  Penang floods on 15th Sept 2017,  Landslides in Tanjung Bungah on 21 October 2017, the storm on Nov 4 & 5 2017, floods again on Jan 5, 2018, and the Huge 'bleeding' landslide in Tg Bungah hill  on May/June 2018  in related posts,

.... see more on links to following reports:

https://youtu.be/ooyXvqmxbvw GEORGE TOWN: Some 20 houses located on a slope in Hong Seng Estate in Mount Erskine were flooded due

Hills, landslides, floods and damaged houses ...

Penang landslides & flooding are natural disasters man-made...  

Penang floods and landslides, looking beyound natural causes!

Penang landslide, whose faults?

Penang Paya Terubong Residents living under shadow of fear!

Penang landslide tragedy, why it happened?  

PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development  

 

We demand immediate enforcement & Actions:

 

1. The parties responsible must quickly without further delays, without condition to settle the claims and start the remedial works to the damaged houses, as both JPS has declared underground pipe culverts invalid and  MBPP has  issued stop work orders directed the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015!


2. Enforce IJM's & MBPP' Letters/Stop-work Orders (attached in above), and divert waters from the two invalid underground pipe culverts deemed illegal at the IJM Trehaus site and nearby ponds which must be closed and grouted as a long term solution to the problems. 

 

3. Enforce a fresh cease and desist to Stop Work of IJM Trehaus construction project until the structural damages to house at 20 Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, BJ Cove have been resolved and settled the claim for damages and distress caused by the fear and danger of living in the house, without further delays and their suffering more than four years since 2014.  Repairs and remedial works must start promptly as more damages and suffering will fellow!

 

4. Beef up the enforcement and accountability not just in government agencies but also in professional bodies, like the Board Of Engineers Malaysia (BEM),  the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), etc to uphold the professional ethics, integrity and standards, to ensure public safety of the buildings and people life.

 

5. The pond must be made a Dried pond for waters to flow out smoothly, because there was originally two natural rivers/streams in the area where waters will still be running/seeping through naturally under the ground. 

 

 6.  Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back their underground pipe culvert flowing to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM  is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This is a great concern to residents at BJ  Cove houses. We want JPS and MPPP to close & grout the manhole promptly.

 

7. Damaged house owners firmly reserve all their rights to take all necessary legal steps against those responsible exclusion their liabilities.


Findings from Penang Forum 

Dr Kam, a scientist, focused on expansion of impermeable surface area (caused by ill­ planned development and replacing natural ground cover such as hills, fields and trees that act as a water ­absorbing sponge) and soil erosion and landslides (caused by cutting and development in hill areas) as two factors that need special attention.

She quoted Datuk Kam U Tee, the Penang Water Authority general manager (1973~­90), as having correctly explained the Penang floods of October 2008, as follows: the floods were caused by conversion of the Paya Terubong and Bayan Baru valleys into “concrete aprons that do not retain water. The water immediately flows into streams causing flash floods even with moderate rainfall. Because of hill­cutting activities, the flowing water causes erosion of the slopes which carries mud and silt into the river beds”. ( The Star, Oct 24, 2008).


See more  ....
 




Credits - Slides presented by Environmental, health and safety consultant Aziz Noor, and scientist Dr Kam Suan Pheng at the Penang Forum event on Oct 29, 2017

See more ....



Practise true CAT for Sustainable Development

  • Penang government must provide a COMPETENT flood mitigation plan for the state starting with a comprehensive Drainage Master Plan Study and not slogan.

  • The Penang government has to be ACCOUNTABLE to the people and not private developers. In other words, ‘Politicians should be ‘wakil rakyat’ and not ‘wakil pemaju’. If certain waterways and catchment areas have to be gazetted as permanent drainage and storage areas, then so be it. 

  • The safety and well-being of the Rakyat has to come first.  In the interest of  TRANSPARENCY, Penang has to launch an inquiry into how the local council approved property developments on slopes without adequate slope protection.

 See more ...

1. Wanted: Leaders who listen !
2. Sustainable Development in Penang
3. Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP
4. Penang landslide, whose faults?



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Related posts:

Cracked drain causes road cave-in, house nearby on brink of callapse

https://youtu.be/9yXuW1pdrt4

MBPP, contractor, engineers and DOSH named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide

Kudos to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin for holding the four parties accountable for the Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy. The inquiry still begs a lot of questions, e.g. why was the contract given to Yuta Maju from Terengganu? Could the accident have been prevented if a proper EIA was done? It is not just a "bureaucratic hurdle" but supposed to identify risks and advise mitigation. If the authorities wish to go on with the project, it is not too late to commissi...
See more


 “This is no simple incident as nine deaths resulted from it. Very stern action must be taken against the MBPP, and that includes strong disciplinary action against the mayor and officers responsible.

“Otherwise, it will be business-as-usual in the MBPP as the officers will be allowed to go scot-free with impunity.



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