BAGAN SERAI, May 31 — The residents here are urging the Perak state government to immediately do cloud seeding over the Bukit Merah Dam area as the water level in the dam has dropped due to drought.

They are confident that this measure will bring rainfall to the area, thus enabling a rise in the dam’s water level and sufficient water supply for consumption and irrigation in the paddy-growing area here.

It was observed today that the water level in the Bukit Merah Dam had dropped significantly, also forcing the Orang Utan Island in Bukit Merah Laketown to close since two weeks ago as the boats could not operate due to the situation.

The Bukit Merah Dam, a water retention pond for domestic consumption, irrigation and the industries in Kamunting, Taiping had experienced a water level drop due to the El Nino phenomenon in 2016.

Tebuk Panchor Village Security and Development Committee member, Mohd Khairul Nizam Yusop, 40, said there had been no rain over Bukit Merah since a month ago, causing the water level in the dam to drop.

"This is also worrying the Arowana fish breeders who are also using water from the dam, as well as the paddy farmers who have been working their fields for a month now and their output could be adversely affected,” he said when met, here, today.

Paddy farmer Mohd Khaizir Md Din, 42, said if the situation continued, the paddy fields could be affected just like during the El Nino phenomenon.

Johar Bakar, 63, meanwhile, is worried about the shortage of water for drinking and other household uses.

"Water in the dam cannot be kept for long as it becomes shallow and muddy. The lack of water in the dam can also reduce the fish population there, thus reducing the income of inland fishermen in the area,” he added.

The Kerian district has 19,200 hectares of paddy land involving 8,640 farmers who depend on water supply from the Bukit Merah Dam.

Yesterday, Perak Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Saraani Mohamad reportedly said the state government would carry out cloud seeding to overcome the decreasing water level in the dam.

It is understood that sunat hajat and sunat istiqa’ prayers will be held at Dataran Pejabat Kolam Bukit Merah Tebuk Panchor this Friday to pray for rain. — Bernama