KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated about RM2.3 million to build six tube wells in four states this year under its peat fire prevention programme.
In a statement today, the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources said the Mineral and Geoscience Department of Malaysia (JMG) would dig two tube wells each in Beaufort (Sabah) and Johan Setia) Selangor as well as one each in Dungun (Terengganu) and Pekan (Pahang).
“The JMG has been tasked with finding underground water sources, building the tube wells as well as pumping the water into the drainage system in the peat soil areas.
“This (the pumping of water) will increase water level in the drainage and moisten the layers and surface of the peat soil, thus controlling the possibility of peat fires,” it said, adding that the water could also be used by the fire brigade to put out peat fires.
Since the programme was launched in 2009, JMG has spent a total of RM23.7 million to build 85 tube wells, of which 15 each were in Pahang and Sarawak; 14 in Johor; 13 each in Kelantan and Selangor; nine in Sabah and six in Terengganu.
According to the statement, JMG also activated the pumping of 24 tube wells to control and put out fires in nine locations, namely Bachok (Kelantan), Dungun (Terengganu), Gebeng and Sungai Ular (Pahang), Mersing (Johor), Kuala Langat Selatan (Selangor), Beaufort (Sabah) as well as Miri and Lawas (Sarawak). — Bernama
