UALA LUMPUR: The flood woes at SRK Tamil Ladang Bukit Jalil may be over in a few days. 

Immediate action has been promised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), at the insistence of Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Datuk S. Sothinathan.

The school has been flooded five times in the past month, with waters reaching up to a metre, causing classes and, more importantly, examinations to be disrupted for the 103 pupils. 

The first time the school became flooded was on the second day of the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah examination last month.

The school's flood problems were highlighted by the New Straits Times last Monday, prompting Works Minister and MIC chairman Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to order an immediate probe. 

As a result, Sothinathan, Member of Parliament for the area, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho, representatives from DBKL, the Drainage and Irrigation Department, MIC Youth Puchong division and members of the school's parent-teacher association met at the school yesterday to assess the situation.

Sothinathan said the cause of the problem had been identified as a heavy machinery workshop built atop the monsoon drain about 100 metres from the school.

The open monsoon drain would normally divert the flow of excess water from the area. 

"They (the workshop owners) have covered up the monsoon drain and have built a small culvert to divert the flow of the water," Sothinathan said.

"However, it is too small, only about 4 feet in diameter. Even a culvert 10 feet in diameter would not be big enough," Sothinathan added.

He said DBKL would dig an open earth drain next to the monsoon drain to provide an immediate short-term solution. 

"This will divert the flow of the water and stop the flooding at the school when it rains," he added.

He said work on the drain should be completed in two or three days' time.

"I will come tomorrow evening to check that the work has started."

School headmistress S. Tamilselvi said the school's final examination started yesterday. 

"I had to combine different standards in one room because some of the classrooms just could not be used," she said.