Droughts more worrying than flash floods: Balakrishnan

[lenghan]

AsiaOne
Sunday, Jan 15, 2012
SINGAPORE - While Dr Vivian Balakrishnam commended the recommendations put forward by the expert panel working to ease the flooding situation, he said more should be done to guard against dry spells as well.

Dr Balakrishnan was speaking at ECo Day Out at South West today - a community driven recycling event.

The environment minister said that what has been happening in Singapore is a greater variability in the weather, which means more intense rain but also a possibility of droughts, The Straits Times (ST) reported.

According to ST, Singapore is likely to face a dry spell soon, due to the north-east monsoon, which typically starts in February.

Hence, Singapore's investments and efforts towards building a flood prevention infrastructure should be just as effective in managing other extreme weather conditions like droughts, a local news channel reported.

"A prolonged drought is something of a greater worry to me than a flash flood, which can be resolved over 15 minutes to half an hour," he said.

He added that he is keeping a close eye on the recommendations put forth by the panel to ensure that they also take into consideration future possibilities of dry seasons.

Dr Balakrishnam gave some examples of the recommendations, such as the installation of green roofs, building of detention ponds and using water more efficiently at a local level.

Other recommendations include the use of rooftops and more porous pavements.

While Dr Balakrishnan said he agrees with all the recommendations, he added that it will not be an easy task to turn them into reality.

He said besides the issue of securing finances, there will be trade-offs involved. For example, other potential alternative uses for the land required.

He said it will take time to produce a plan which is both realistic and one that the public will agree on is a value-for-money proposition.

Dr Balakrishnan also updated the public on the anti-flood measures in the works.

The improvement works at Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza is to be completed within three months, and the Public Utilities Board (PUB) will have about six months to decide whether to go ahead with the building of detention ponds, he said.

If they are to be built, PUB will also have to decide where they will be located.

Other works in progress include the Stamford Canal, which is to be checked within nine months to see if its current capacity if being maximised, and an accurate digital elevation map of Singapore, which is to take shape by the end of the year."

What a way to try diverting the problem which his ministry was not able to resolve to another "potential" problem...typical of them!!!!!

[Guppies Onli]

Both are different and separate problems that they are paid to solve. You are paid to solve problem n not to tell us problems.

[lenghan]

Originally Posted by Guppies Onli

Both are different and separate problems that they are paid to solve. You are paid to solve problem n not to tell us problems.

That's why I said they are merely trying to pull wools over the public eyes with such tactic of shifting to another issue and hope we "forget" about the existing problem

[hkh]

Is he the one who once asked Dr Lily Neo : 'How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?'

So will he turns around and ask us : 'Do you want me to solve the drought or flood problem? Do you want dry Stamford canal in Orchard Road, or shop along Sungei Orchard like Venice?'.....

Expect nothing except more talk. NATCO, no action talk cock only

He should receive zero bonus for being a non achiever, only a talker. I think they should clawback every single cent of bonus he received.

[silane]

If his drought control plan does not work, we will get to learn a new term, flash drought.

[KAO LUO]

Originally Posted by hkh

Is he the one who once asked Dr Lily Neo : 'How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?'

So will he turns around and ask us : 'Do you want me to solve the drought or flood problem? Do you want dry Stamford canal in Orchard Road, or shop along Sungei Orchard like Venice?'.....

hahahhaha !! e kong ho lang tiam ...........

Originally Posted by lenghan

He added that he is keeping a close eye on the recommendations put forth by the panel to ensure that they also take into consideration future possibilities of dry seasons.

Is always easy to criticise. For an office bearers who is comparable with the top 1000 highest paid Singaporeans, can we have some solutions instead?