Canada Hill may be gazetted as green lung reserve

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Zaidi briefs Lee (second right) on their initial study.

MIRI: There is a possibility that Canada Hill and its surrounding areas maybe gazetted as ‘reserve area’ or a green lung.

The Public Works Department (JKR) will be making the recommendation following a thorough and detailed study of the condition of the ground at Kampung Lereng Bukit and its surrounding areas, including Canada Hill.

JKR Slope Engineering Branch senior assistant director Zaidi Daud said this during a briefing session with the Divisional Disaster Committee at the Miri Resident’s Office here yesterday.

Zaidi has been leading a team of experts since Thursday to study and address the issues at the landslide zone.

“We will submit a full  report on the study to Miri Resident’s Office, including on the cost, as part of a long-term plan to address the issue,” said Zaidi.

He said their study includes identifying ‘high risk’ zones or areas and recommend plans or programme to address them.

Present at the briefing yesterday were Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Miri Resident Sherrina Hussaini.

Hussaini stressed on educating residents near hill slopes to understand the signs such as earth movement and vegetation, and precautionary and safety measures to be taken on the event of landslides.

A talk on landslides for those residing in Kampung Lereng Bukit and Canada Hill is expected to be held next Monday (Jan 15) at Kampung Lereng Bukit multi-purpose hall.

Apart from site and soil investigation, the study also includes landslide early warning.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environmental Board has  been given the task to  monitor the area and the earth movement.