31/07/2008 The Star By TAN KARR WEI

A SINKHOLE about 2m wide along the banks of Sungai Kayu Ara has caused fears among residents of the Puncak Damansara Condominiums in Kg Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya.

Joint management body (JMB) secretary Mohd Rafi Ganesan said they discovered the seriousness of the problem when the joint management committee (JMC) took over the management from the developers.

Puncak Damansara Owners and Residents Association (PUNDORA) Leonard Nathan said they even cordoned off a stretch of covered parking by the river banks for fear of a landslide.

Worrisome: Puncak Damansara Condominiums senior security manager Capt (rtd) Kumaravel Veerappan inspecting the sinkhole by the condo walls.

Representatives from the Petaling district Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) visited the site with residents and Condominimum, Apartments and Highrise Committee (CAHC) chairman Tengku Nazaruddin Zainudin.

An MBPJ engineer said the earth along the whole stretch had settled further after the condominium was built and the drainage pipes were not done properly, causing erosion along the banks.

A JPS engineer said residents would first have to rectify the whole drainage system within the condominium that was along the river bank.

Mohd Rafi said they had appointed a contractor and work would start by this week.

After submitting a report, JPS would conduct earth strengthening work along the bank once enough funds were available, a process that would take about six months.