The government will go on with the Bakun hydro dam impoundment, Second Planning and Resource Management Minister Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said.

NONE He added that the government had expected the water level at the Rajang River to recede to a certain degree during the impoundment but not at the current level, which he said was "totally unexpected."

"We gave the permit to start the impoundment this month because based on studies and weather reports, we are supposed to be in the monsoon season by now.

"We expect to have a heavy rain once week, but then an unexpected very dry weather sets in," he told a press conference in Song today.

He said the government took sometime to decide when the impoundment could start but "now that we have started, we cannot undo it," he said, adding that the dry weather was beyond the government's control.

He added some amount of water had been released from Bakun to maintain the Rajang River water level at 43 msl (mean sea level).

"The lowest level recorded is between Kapit and Belaga at about 41 msl.

"Although express passenger and cargo boats cannot travel up to Belaga, the river is still navigable for the smaller community boats.

"But then even before the Bakun (impoundment), the area is known to have suffered from the same problem," he said.

Schools facing water shortage

The impoundment is expected to take seven months and two weeks, to fill an area of 69,000 hectares to the top of the dam wall.

NONE This is roughly as high as a 44-storey building or half the height of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Kapit Resident Dahim Nadot said a number of interior schools located after Nanga Merit towards Belaga, were facing fresh water shortage after their underground source dried up considerably.

"The contractors are still sending food supply to the schools as usual but the transportation costs have now tripled the normal costs as they have to be delivered by boat, then by land and by boat again.

"If the situation deteriorates, we will have to send SOS to the State Disaster Management Committee for the essential items to be airlifted," he said.

Dahim said his office was monitoring the situation closely although the low water level would make travel to the affected schools or longhouses difficult.

The current low water level downstream in the Rajang River, especially in places between Kapit and Belaga, is causing havoc to riverine communications and creating problems for the people.

- Bernama