KUALA TERENGGANU (Bernama): The Terengganu government is channelling immediate aid worth RM2.79mil to residents in Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu who have been affected by a second round of water supply disruption since Monday (Aug 23).

       Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the allocation included RM1.04mil from Syarikat Air Terengganu (Satu) under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme to be distributed to 104 Village Development and Security Committees (JPKK) to provide drinking water to all the 29,151 account holders affected by the water cut.

       "The emergency aid covers supplying boxes of drinking water valued at RM1.25mil to all the affected houses. Another RM500,000 will be channelled as CSR aid from Satu for the management and logistics related to supplies to all the areas involved,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 25).

       Ahmad Samsuri said the drinking water assistance and logistic management would be channelled via the state constituency service centres and coordinators of the affected areas.

       The state government will ensure that clean water will be delivered to all the residents until the crisis is resolved, he added.

       He has also directed the committee investigating the first water crisis in early August to extend its scope of investigation to cover the second incident so that a long-term solution could be found.

       On Tuesday (Aug 24), state Infrastructure, Public Utilities and Green Technology Committee chairman Dr Mamad Puteh said the second case of damaged pipes at the Sungai Terengganu river bed was more serious than the first and repair works were expected to be completed by Sept 12.

       The first water supply disruption affected the same number of users for 12 days beginning Aug 2. It was due to a broken 1.2-metre pipe on the river bed of Sungai Terengganu but clean water supply was restored in stages on Aug 13.

       Meanwhile, Ahmad Samsuri, when met by reporters after handing over incentives to cyclist Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang for his silver medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said the water supply aid would be sent to the affected homes beginning Thursday (Aug 26).

       On repair works, he said the diving technique would continue to be used as it is the best method available now although netizens felt that it was traditional and less efficient.- Bernama