33 landslide-prone slopes in Cameron Highlands identified

PUTRAJAYA: The government has identified 33 critical slopes in Cameron Highlands that are prone to landslide activities.
Immediate mitigation action needs to be taken on four of these slopes due to the risk they can pose to the population, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pix).
These critical slopes are part of the 517 sites which have been identified to be prone to landslide activity, he added.
"The overall cost to mitigate the 33 slopes is RM20.8 million, with an estimated RM7 million for the four slopes that needs immediate action," he told a press conference after attending the Cameron Highlands Recovery Joint Action Committee meeting at Perdana Putra here which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
He said the actions to be taken include building a retaining wall, anchor, soil nail and rock netting.
The mapping of the dangerous slopes have been carried out since 2014 and involved an area of 275sq km or 35% of Cameron Highlands total area, he added.
He said the status of actions to be taken to recover the highland was discussed in the meeting.
Parts of the highland were submerged in a massive flood in 2014, with many pointing finger at the uncontrolled deforestation and illegal land clearing for causing the devastation.
Following continuous enforcement by the authorities, he said there were no cases of land encroachment by syndicates to build illegal farms, however there are still locals cultivating small portion of lands for their livelihood.
"There have been no new cases of illegal logging and land clearing for farming, except those done by a few smallholders (locals).
"The state government has received more than 1,000 applications by smallholders for Temporary Occupation Licence," he said.