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KUANTAN – An aerial check using drones found no logging activity at the Lentang Forest Reserve, government land and alienated land near Jalan Bentong-Karak and the Sri Telemong Bridge in Bentong.
The Pahang Forestry Department (PFD), in a statement last night, said that checks at both locations found that wood waste scattered on the road and bridge, which social media users linked to logging activities, was actually debris from water surges in Sg Temeriak, Sg Kerau and Sg Timbul on December 18.
“Our checks found that the water surge incident in the two locations started at the Lentang Forest Reserve due to continuous heavy rain for three days from December 16 until the major floods in Bentong on December 18, supported by the Bentong Irrigation and Drainage Department’s rainfall distribution data, which recorded an average reading of 155mm on December 18, which is categorised as ‘extremely heavy’.
“The aerial survey also found many traces of landslides in the hilly areas in the Lentang Forest Reserve, government land and alienated land carrying debris consisting of soil, rocks and trees, which were pushed into Sg Temeriak, Sg Kerau and Sg Timbul by strong water currents,” the statement read.
PFD added that the field inspection also found wood waste and tree trunks of various species, which gave the impression that the strong river currents had also carried debris from outside the forest reserve.
According to PFD, the water surge incidents at two locations have nothing to do with logging activities on the Sg Gapoi government land as claimed by some parties, because it is located 16km away from the Sri Telemong Bridge and 23km from Jalan Bentong-Karak.
Checks at the location yesterday found the water in Sg Gapoi is clear and that there are no traces of a water surge.
PFD also said that the Lentang Forest Reserve has been gazetted as a water catchment area since 2002, and a 30ha area in the forest has been turned into a High Conservation Value Forest plot, which means it is a protected forest and no logging activities are allowed in both areas.
On the wood waste, the department said further action will be taken to ensure the immediate removal of the debris according to provisions under the National Forestry Act 1984.
The department added that further checks will be conducted in early January using helicopters to get a clearer picture of the issue and the water surge locations in the Lentang Forest Reserve. – Bernama, December 30, 2021