GEORGE TOWN, Jan 27 – Mitigation work at Bukit Relau has been in the limelight following illegal land clearing activities in mid-2013 is expected to be completed in June this year, according to geotechnical engineer Khoo Koon Tai. He said the work on the hill, also known as Bukit Botak, had reached 60 per cent completion.
Also present were State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Datuk Bandar of Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Datuk Patahiyah Ismail, General Accomplishment Sdn Bhd (GASB) project manager Razif Ahmad and representatives of several NGOs also visited the site.
Khoo said there will be some trimming done in the area during the process but trees will be planted as well. Meanwhile, he also said that once the mitigation was completed, the whole hill would be greener and the chances of soil erosion would be reduced to the minimum any development was undertaken. Meanwhile, he also added that the whole mitigation process costs about RM50 million.
Besides that, Chow also said that currently there was no plan for development on the hill after the mitigation had been completed. He said this after NGO Penang Forum asked him about the development on this hill. In additional, he also said that the council and the state will not stop anyone from making any application to propose any sort of development.
