KUANTAN: Since October last year, housewife Rokiah Yusof has been forced to keep her house windows shut throughout the day.
A sand stockpile, located barely 100m from her house at Kampung Bukit Palas near Cherating here, has been a nuisance during strong winds, which blow sand particles and dust towards the 64-year-old's house.
The mother-of-eight said besides the dust pollution, the movements of lorries laden with sand along the narrow village roads resulting in damages to the stretch and posed safety risks to the villagers.
"Life has been miserable after some parts of the village were utilised as sand stockpiles. Throughout the day, my family will remain indoors and there are times when we cannot step outside to even dry our clothes.
"Even when my grandchildren come to visit, I will not allow them to play outside as it is not safe with tipper lorries plying the road. Some lorries transport the sand uncovered, resulting in clods of it falling onto the road and causing the surface to become uneven," she said when met at the village here today.
Rokiah, who grew up in the village since she was 14, added that her 7-year-old grandson was recently admitted to Kemaman Hospital for a week due to severe asthma which was mainly caused by dust pollution from the sand stockpiles.
"I have asthma too, and my health will get worse if the situation is not resolved soon. The sand stockpiles has been around for four months and I was told the project will go on for two years."
Zaleha Abd Ghani, 52, said although the contractors poured water along the roads to wash away the sand, it dried up quickly during hot weather and vehicles using the stretch would kick up the dust particles into the air.
"I am not sure how our village was picked as the sand stockpile, as the decision has become a nightmare for us. Since the tipper lorries share the same road with us, our once-quiet settlement has become busy with lorry movements."
Villager Zahari Noor Embung, 54, said the operators might have breached standard operating procedures, resulting in dust and noise pollution in the village.
"The operator for the stockpile in front of my house installed nets for protection against the dust, but it does not serve its purpose as it is too low and the dust still ends up entering my house."
Beserah assemblyman Andansura Rabu, who raised the villagers' concerns with the transportation company, said the operators have agreed to increase the height of the protection wall at the stockpile sites to reduce dust pollution.
"The sand is dug in another area and kept here before it is transported elsewhere to be used for the East Coast Rail Link project. The operator will have to carry out the necessary road repair works as the stretch is the only route used by the villagers to travel in and out of the settlement.
"The company will instruct its lorry drivers to only operate within the permitted hours and stop operations during peak hours (children going to and returning from school). The safety aspects will be prioritised," he said, adding the settlement has some 1,000 villagers.