LUNDU: The residents of the coastal village of Pandan and Pugu hope that pertinent government bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and local stakeholders would intervene to tackle the surge of floating logs in the vicinity.
Village chief Azhar Dillah underscored the difficulty of relying solely on the resources of the village residents and called for support from external agencies.
“My hope is for the government or NGOs to come together to help us clean up these logs. Any agency willing to assist the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) is warmly welcomed,” he said told the media here today (March 21).
Azhar expressed grave concerns over the sudden appearance of these logs, which began surfacing just four days ago.
Initially, the phenomenon was minor, but in recent days, the situation has escalated dramatically, leaving villagers shocked as to the source of this influx.
“We can’t even ascertain where these logs are originating from, perhaps they’ve been swept in by the tides, but we lack confirmation.”
The implications of this unexpected development are multifaceted and deeply troubling for the residents of the surrounding areas as among their worries is the threat posed to the local ecosystem and tourism industry, with the picturesque Pandan beach now marred by an obstacle course of floating logs.
Furthermore, swimming has become dangerous, heightening fears of potential accidents involving children and beachgoers.
“The livelihoods of shoreline fishermen have been severely impacted, as the presence of floating logs impedes their ability to cast nets and catch fish. While deep-sea fishermen face less hindrance, yet the risk of damaged equipment due to encounters with these logs remains a concern.”
Looking ahead, uncertainties loom regarding the potential escalation of the floating log issue.
He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the situation, noting that future developments would hinge on the fluctuating sea conditions.
“It’s possible that the presence of floating logs may increase, depending on the waves. This unprecedented event has significantly disrupted our community, and concerted efforts are needed to mitigate its impact,” Azhar said.
