Story and photo by OH ING YEEN | Mar 12, 2010

Residents cry foul over stench

Smelly: Liew San (second from right) and his wife Yap have been putting up with the stench from the septic tank right next door, which discharges waste into the drain. With them are Narayanan and Yong.

ingyeen@thestar.com.my
IF living next to a septic tank is bad enough, imagine the foul discharge flowing into the drain just outside your house.

Residents who have been living near a septic tank in Taman Sungai Chua, Kajang are fed up with the problem that has plagued them for the past six years.

Liew San, 67, and his wife Yap Yoke Boi, 63, have resorted to building a 3.05m (10 feet) fence around his house in an attempt to minimise the smell.

“Waste is discharged three times a day. The stench is unbearable, it smells worse than excrement.

“Furthermore, the cleaners at the next door flats will burn rubbish every evening, causing more pollution,” Yap said.

She has complained to the relevant authorities but in vain.

“I have complained to the developers who manage the flat but they told me to solve it myself. I have brought up this issue to the council and previous state assemblyman but to no avail. I was told that they will look into the issue but no action was taken.”

She added that a few of her neighbours have moved out due to the stench.

When asked if they had considered following suit, she replied, “We are too old to look for a new place and move out.”

Neighbour Chandriga Nair said the smell is so unbearable that she opts to keep her doors and windows closed.

“However, in recent years the situation is not as bad as when the septic tank first operated in 1998. At that time, it will discharge waste four times a day at 11am, 3pm, 9pm, and 11pm (in comparison to the current three-times-a-day schedule),” she said.

Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) councillor P. Narayanan who was at the site with Kampung Baru Sungai Chua Village Safety and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman Yong Swan Khong said that he would notify the relevant department in the council and Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd.

“The matter was brought to my attention last year and I have informed MPKj but no action was taken.

“I want the relevant parties to take responsible and solve this problem,” he said.