ingenieur Vol.87 July-Sept2021 Vol 87 2021 | Page 16

INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
ROLPOP : River Adoption by Local Communities
correspondingly all are responsible for water . Every individual has a role to play and this has been the primary objective of community education and public awareness ( CEPA ) programmes . Selling the idea that IRBM promotes efficient water management which in turn is an economic catalyst can be the defining strategy to achieve buy-in from administrators and businesses .
IRBM plans recognise the importance of public participation to complement the engineering interventions in managing river pollution . Realising that illegal waste disposal usually happens along secluded river reaches , KASA reasons that frequent public presence along the river banks would deter illegal dumping and initiated the National River Trails programme ( Denai Sungai Kebangsaan - DSK ).
Under this programme , river trails will be created for hiking or biking along the river banks . From simple trails that improves accessibility , these trails could then gradually be expanded into recreation areas and public parks . Frequent human presence will inhibit illegal settlements , deter the unscrupulous from disposing scheduled waste or creating dumping areas and landfills and other activities on the banks of our rivers . Jogging tracks , trails and parks in the river reserve will be done in collaboration with the State Government to invite the public to create activities there . With a heightened public presence along the rivers , they could provide voluntary river surveillance , conservation and beautification . In the long run , it will inculcate a sense of ownership and responsibility towards rivers . In essence , DSK is a programme to acknowledge societal responsibility by instilling awareness , accountability and stewardship among the public in performing CPR — conservation , protection and rehabilitation — on the rivers . In addition , DSK also has the potential to contribute to local eco-tourism as demonstrated by the pilot DSK in Pengkalan Datu , Kelantan . This unique trail , which was opened in October 2020 , with nearly 50 % of its length above water , has become a popular tourist attraction and a catalyst for the local economy .
River trails bring people to the river and improve connectivity . The early success of the Pengkalan Datu River Trail informs the hypothesis that a river trail is potentially an economic stimulus . As the local community realises that a pleasant river environment could lead to monetary returns , the river is transformed into an asset worth protecting .
14 VOL 87 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021