For more than six months, construction and bulk waste have been piling up at an abandoned house in Jalan PJS 10/28, Petaling Jaya.

BY BRENDA CH’NG

ABANDONED houses are an eyesore, and it is worse when they are used to dump waste as they could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, snakes and rats.

For more than six months, construction and bulk waste have been piling up at an abandoned house on Jalan PJS 10/28, Petaling Jaya, and neighbours cannot tolerate the mess anymore.

“Anything can happen at abandoned houses, it can even be a hideout for drug users and thieves,” said resident L.H. Chang, adding that renovation works at the house started about three years ago.

Chang said works stopped suddenly and the owner never returned to sort out the construction material and debris.

When StarMetro visited the area, there was a mattress dumped in the house compound along with other bulk waste.

Complaints have been lodged with Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Chang was informed that officers would visit the site, but that did not happen.

Additionally, some parts of the drain behind houses along PJS 10/28 are giving way and have not been cleaned for years.

There are also overgrown bushes and plants along the backlane of the road, causing residents to worry that they may be a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.

“So far, I have made three different complaints – one for the abandoned house, another for the collapsed drain and the third for the unkempt backlane,” Chang said.

She feared that flooding could occur during a downpour due to the collapsed and clogged drain.

MBPJ councillor Halimey Abu Bakar said he would look into the matter immediately.

“I was not made aware of these complaints but I have alerted the engineering and health departments to look into them,” he said.

Halimey added that once the site visit was done to assess the situation, MBPJ would do remedial works.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria confirmed that the complaints were lodged last year and council officers visited the site.

“We sent a notice to the owner of the abandoned house to get it cleaned up but as the owner has not done anything, we will proceed with legal action in accordance with our by-laws," she said.

Officers would also be sent to check if the house was a health hazard, she said, and if mosquito breeding grounds were found, they would clean them and fog the area.

"We cannot simply enter a private property to clean up as the owner can take action against us for trespassing," she said.