The old well at Kampung Buah Pala where clear fresh water reaches ground level - Photo by Anil Netto
For those of you still unfamiliar with the background to the High Chaparral issue, here’s an excellent write-up by Himanshu Bhatt in today’s Sun:
Kampung Buah Pala holds its breath
THERE is an old well said to have been dug some 100 years ago in Penang’s Kampung Buah Pala, a charming settlement of cowherds and planters, which still provides fresh groundwater for many villagers. So remarkable is this well that during the national water crisis of the late 1990s, it became the lifeline for thousands of Penangites who made a bee-line to collect its water when all other supplies failed.
Which way now… Will Kampung Buah Pala be declared a historic communal settlement or be demolished to make way for apartments?
About five years ago, the inhabitants of this settlement – who trace their ancestry to at least five generations – were shocked when told that the land on which the well and the village stood was earmarked for a development project. The venture, which included four blocks of apartments, was called “Oasis”. Full article here.
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