By: Abdul Rahman Mahmud
Landslide which occurred recently has opened the eyes of many parties the necessary to take lesson from the past incidents. Such incident is not a new matter in our country, but there were still parties which took easy about it. Not just the authorities only to take lesson but the project developer and public should also take the same lesson.
Indisputable highland areas promising beautiful panorama and pleasant atmosphere for people. In the same time, we should accept the fact that, not all highland areas suitable for housing purposes. Getting easy the risk of highland development project, could invite large problems in future.
Actually much more other activity could be developing in the highland area other than housing activity. Because of immediate profit as main objective, the housing highland project executed by developer. In this case developer should conscious and knows disaster risk that presented in the future. The action to develop housing project in highland areas, as like putting the time bomb in earth crust that would be destroying public when the times is arrive.
At the same time, public also should think long before buy or build houses in the highland area which seeing his risk in future. Most landslides will not happen in short periods but it takes many ages and influenced by rainfall intensity, slope stability and mass gradient burden am being borne by that area. Landslide process normally occurred with the presence of rain water as an agent. Once rain it will act on land and when it becomes saturated with water, it will form crack along weak zone in soil structure.
Above steep slope, heavy soil usually enough to overcome force resist which holds in land his place. Its impact, large soil quantity will skid down, where its will be loose and further have been eroded easily. This process takes many ages and landslide will not occur immediately. As such, understanding of the public on landslide process very necessary. So the people will more careful before choose their dream house.
Highland management in Malaysia especially in urban areas requires more strategic management. Strategic management must include three important aspect there are gazetting highland in urban area as natural heritage site, monitoring slope stability and recovery mechanism for highland area. Highland in urban area acting as systems that assist in balancing environmental ecosystem.
As such, it should be seen as very valuable asset to all city population. There are three main function of highlands areas in urban environment. Firstly; as water catchment areas, secondly; as flora and fauna habitat, and thirdly; as oxygen supplier and carbon dioxide absorbent.
Hilly areas are covered and filled with plant as absorbent of water during rain. This indirectly could reduce the volume of surface runoff water which entered into public drain during rainy days. Nowadays, the incident involving of flash flood in the urban area occurred caused by the increase in surface runoff volume. Lack of water catchments area in urban is identified as the factor that contribute in the flash flood problem. Drain which is built in the urban area is no longer capable to accommodate the volume of water and its derived potential flash flood in the urban area.
Apart from that, highland in urban areas is important for animal habitat. Development activity in lowland areas will affect habitat of the animals. Birds for example losses their shelter place and migrate to different area to find the shelter place.
The existence of natural heritage site in urban area could provide suitable environment for animal habitat. Suggestion for lasting housing development project in the highland area is reasonable to be executed. This is because many other potential developments could be implementing, without involving any physical structure construction that can destroy soil structure.
Gazetting highland in urban area as natural heritage site is the alternative way to conserve the environment. It can be used as natural recreational area to society in the urban area for recreation activity during weekend and school holidays. The development of natural heritage site could keep his function as water catchments and flora fauna habitat. It’s also able to contribute for green atmosphere in the urban area.
The existence of natural heritage site in the middle of the city could also absorb carbon dioxide gas which released by thousandth of vehicle in urban vicinity. Indirectly its will help cushion heating in the urban area.
Strategic planning of highland in urban area must include monitoring aspect on slope stability. It could be identified with slope stability study and erosion risk assessment. This study must be carried out continuously to find out safety level of such highland areas.
Apart from that, development project were implemented in hillside and highland area often invite eyesore problems. Hill always seems bald without any cover crop planted to prevent erosion. Step towards recover must be carried out in hillside areas. Developer must take full responsibility to restore those areas was developed.
Landslides which often occurs teaching us on the important to manage environment in sustainable way. Integration between the authorities, developer and public very important to avoid same incident from occur in future. The time has arrived for us to change our perspective towards managing the highland in urban areas in sustainable manner.
Landslide which occurred recently has opened the eyes of many parties the necessary to take lesson from the past incidents. Such incident is not a new matter in our country, but there were still parties which took easy about it. Not just the authorities only to take lesson but the project developer and public should also take the same lesson.
Indisputable highland areas promising beautiful panorama and pleasant atmosphere for people. In the same time, we should accept the fact that, not all highland areas suitable for housing purposes. Getting easy the risk of highland development project, could invite large problems in future.
Actually much more other activity could be developing in the highland area other than housing activity. Because of immediate profit as main objective, the housing highland project executed by developer. In this case developer should conscious and knows disaster risk that presented in the future. The action to develop housing project in highland areas, as like putting the time bomb in earth crust that would be destroying public when the times is arrive.
At the same time, public also should think long before buy or build houses in the highland area which seeing his risk in future. Most landslides will not happen in short periods but it takes many ages and influenced by rainfall intensity, slope stability and mass gradient burden am being borne by that area. Landslide process normally occurred with the presence of rain water as an agent. Once rain it will act on land and when it becomes saturated with water, it will form crack along weak zone in soil structure.
Above steep slope, heavy soil usually enough to overcome force resist which holds in land his place. Its impact, large soil quantity will skid down, where its will be loose and further have been eroded easily. This process takes many ages and landslide will not occur immediately. As such, understanding of the public on landslide process very necessary. So the people will more careful before choose their dream house.
Highland management in Malaysia especially in urban areas requires more strategic management. Strategic management must include three important aspect there are gazetting highland in urban area as natural heritage site, monitoring slope stability and recovery mechanism for highland area. Highland in urban area acting as systems that assist in balancing environmental ecosystem.
As such, it should be seen as very valuable asset to all city population. There are three main function of highlands areas in urban environment. Firstly; as water catchment areas, secondly; as flora and fauna habitat, and thirdly; as oxygen supplier and carbon dioxide absorbent.
Hilly areas are covered and filled with plant as absorbent of water during rain. This indirectly could reduce the volume of surface runoff water which entered into public drain during rainy days. Nowadays, the incident involving of flash flood in the urban area occurred caused by the increase in surface runoff volume. Lack of water catchments area in urban is identified as the factor that contribute in the flash flood problem. Drain which is built in the urban area is no longer capable to accommodate the volume of water and its derived potential flash flood in the urban area.
Apart from that, highland in urban areas is important for animal habitat. Development activity in lowland areas will affect habitat of the animals. Birds for example losses their shelter place and migrate to different area to find the shelter place.
The existence of natural heritage site in urban area could provide suitable environment for animal habitat. Suggestion for lasting housing development project in the highland area is reasonable to be executed. This is because many other potential developments could be implementing, without involving any physical structure construction that can destroy soil structure.
Gazetting highland in urban area as natural heritage site is the alternative way to conserve the environment. It can be used as natural recreational area to society in the urban area for recreation activity during weekend and school holidays. The development of natural heritage site could keep his function as water catchments and flora fauna habitat. It’s also able to contribute for green atmosphere in the urban area.
The existence of natural heritage site in the middle of the city could also absorb carbon dioxide gas which released by thousandth of vehicle in urban vicinity. Indirectly its will help cushion heating in the urban area.
Strategic planning of highland in urban area must include monitoring aspect on slope stability. It could be identified with slope stability study and erosion risk assessment. This study must be carried out continuously to find out safety level of such highland areas.
Apart from that, development project were implemented in hillside and highland area often invite eyesore problems. Hill always seems bald without any cover crop planted to prevent erosion. Step towards recover must be carried out in hillside areas. Developer must take full responsibility to restore those areas was developed.
Landslides which often occurs teaching us on the important to manage environment in sustainable way. Integration between the authorities, developer and public very important to avoid same incident from occur in future. The time has arrived for us to change our perspective towards managing the highland in urban areas in sustainable manner.
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