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Homes 'built on ex-mining land'
The
Star 31/01/2001 By Kuldeep S. Jessy
IPOH: The sinking of 14 houses at
Bandar Pengkalan Indah is caused by ground settlement as the properties were on former mining land, urbanisation and Local Government Committee
chairman Datuk Chang Ko Youn said yesterday.
He said there were no "hard and fast rules" for a time frame before a housing estate could be developed
on such land.
Chang said it was up to the consultant engineer to advise the developer before the houses were built.
"There are guidelines for development on high-risk areas such as hillslopes and ex-mining land and the
developers would have had to submit certain technical reports before the project could be approved," Chang told reporters after visiting the
housing estate with Datuk Bandar Datuk Talaat Husain.
Buyers had complained that their double-storey terrace houses have been sinking and the halls of some of
them resemble ponds.
The two rows of houses are supported by thick iron beams while remedial work on the floors had caused
the ceilings to drop lower than before.
Chang said the developer of Bandar Pengkalan Indah had been taking steps to remedy the defects.
"I have been told that work on the second block of seven units would be completed by next month while
the front block of seven units would take another four to five months to complete.
"I urge the purchasers to give the developer a chance to rectify the problems.
"The consultant engineer and architect have assured us that the method they have adopted can solve the
problem," he said.
He said there was a misconception over the "ponds" in the halls, adding that the halls had been dug up
for beams to be laid under the ground to support the houses.
"The water may be underground water, seepages or rain water," he said
Chang said the situation would be monitored from time to time, adding that when everything was
completed, checks would be carried out again.
"The engineer has assured us that there are no structural defects as far as the buildings are concerned,
except for hairline cracks on some of the walls," he said |
