Sunday, May 20, 2007

Farming in Catchment Area at Mengkuang Dam (Part V)

"Dam expansion to cost RM700m"!
Understandably, much of the money will be used to acquire land from the farmers.
So, we can conclude that all area around the dam SHOULD belongs to the water authority right?
But, in Mengkuang Dam, farmers can carry on with whatever they are doing......spraying weedkillers, pesticides, farming, fruit orchards, rubber tapping and I-don't-know-what!
Below were some of the proof:

It was raining for the past few days. The weeds along the path and to the durian trees were brown. Rainwater will surely washed down into the dam just across this road. The "white" patch behind the green trees was the dam. So, Penangites, you could be drinking weedkillers!

This picture shows a wider perspective. The first picture zoomed in to the left arrow. To the right, you can see brown weeds under the shady durian trees. If this is not weedkiller then must be a battalion of hikers urinating on the grass! Did you pee there?

A path on the right of this signboard goes uphill. The signboard reads - No entry to private farm! A private farm in catchment area!!!! How about the conpensation $ paid to acquire the land?

Note the newly planted Dragon Fruits. The slope runs down into the dam. Fertilizer runs down into the dam too. So, Penangites, after drinking weedkillers, now you could get extra fertilizer to make you fertile!

This picture taken on 12th May. It will be fruiting very soon. An unripe mangosteen near the dragon fruits' plot. There are many other fruit trees with caretaker watching over them. If they are in catchment area then there shouldn't be any farmer around, right?

Durian orchard and at the far end are banana plants - all sloping to the dam.

Rubber tapping too. Newly tapped latex at the catchment.

Bales of harden rubber latex waiting to be transported out at catchment area.