Greening the riverside

Admin

RESIDENTS of Bukit Mertajam will soon have a nice place to jog and exercise once the Sungai Rambai riverside is upgraded.

The Penang Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) is planning to create a 2km-long green landscape along the Sungai Rambai riverbank.

State DID district assistant engineer Rozali Saad said that Phase One of the project had begun on March 20.

“It would take around one month to complete Phase One. The estimated cost is RM200,000.

“The grass planting project is funded by Malaysian Roads Records Information System (MARRIS),” he told a press conference today.

State Women and Family Development, Gender Inclusiveness and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Chong Eng said gotong-royong activities had been conducted at the Sungai Rambai riverside for the past three weeks.

“About 120 residents of Taman Sri Rambai together with the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) councillor Bernard Cheen took part in the gotong-royong.

“The volunteers managed to collect 150 bags of waste per week! The riverbank is polluted by mainly plastic waste.

“We managed to clean part of the Sungai Rambai riverside with the help from everyone,” she said.

Chong Eng also urged the public to reduce the usage of single-use plastic to conserve the environment.

Story and pix by K.Thaarshenii