DBKL clarifies proposed degazettement of flood pond

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed de-gazettement of land around the Kampung Boyan (Sungai Bunus) flood retention pond is not for commercial or property development, says Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

DBKL, in a statement, said that the application for the cancellation of this reserve was aimed at standardising the classification of lands; with one part to be classified as “Flood Retention Pond and the other as “Open Area”.

“The proposed revocation is to better structure the areas of responsibilities between the related government agencies.

“In this case, it involves the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) for the flood retention pond and DBKL for the management and maintenance of the open space area,” said DBKL today (Jan 12).

The Sungai Bunus flood retention pond, which was gazetted on July 31, 2018, lies along Sungai Bunus – a small river coursing through Kuala Lumpur.

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City Hall added that licenced land surveyors had carried out boundary measurements from the pond water’s edge, with an additional one metre as the estimated highest water level area, to ensure pond capacity and function is not affected.

“It should also be noted that the area surrounding the pond has already been developed by DBKL as a community garden under the Local Agenda 21 Kuala Lumpur programme, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations and resident associations.”

DBKL added that the reclassification of the land would only be carried out after obtaining final approval from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Executive Committee (JKTWPKL).

StarMetro had previously reported that JKTWPKL had issued a Federal Government Gazette for Notice of Proposed Revocation of Reservation Land for Public Use.

The move to de-gazette the land has understandably ignited a storm of objections from stakeholders and residents living in the vicinity of Sungai Bunus.