Titiwangsa lakeside housing marred by illegal dumping

BARELY two months after an illegal eatery near their homes was demolished, residents of Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur are now seeing rubbish dumped indiscriminately in their housing area.

Apart from being an unsightly mess, the rubbish heap’s stench and its unsanitary conditions are affecting residents.

The issue, they said, began after an illegal eatery was torn down by the authorities in February, following nearly three years of complaints by residents.

Resident Roslina Rahman told StarMetro that the site previously occupied by the eatery had become a dumping ground by roadside traders in the area.

“It is common to see piles of rubbish being discarded and burned at the site daily,” she said, adding that several complaints had been made to the authorities.

Last month, a notice was issued by the Environment Department warning the public against illegal dumping and open burning, Roslina said.

StarMetro report on Feb 3.

Photos shared with StarMetro showed yellow tape and several notices placed at the site to deter people from dumping.

One notice warned that open burning was a breach of Sections 29A and 29B of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and that parties responsible were liable for a RM2,000 compound.

“Those found guilty are also liable to a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or imprisonment of not more than five years or both,” it said.

Several illegal structures at the site, including makeshift ones constructed from freight containers, have yet to be removed.

Recent checks by StarMetro also found uncompleted toilets at the site in addition to a significant amount of construction debris.

The structures are remnants from the unlicensed eatery that was demolished by the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Office (PTGWP).

PTGWP, the landowner, had given the eatery operator until March 29 to remove all the structures but this did not materialise.

The authorities, said Roslina, had told residents the remaining structures would be removed after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri season.

PTGWP had yet to respond to a request for comment at press time.