Flood control projects 'must get full attention'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Local legislators called on the city
\nadministration yesterday to shift its full attention to labor-
\nintensive projects on flood prevention to head off dour forecasts
\nof massive flooding during the next rainy season.<\/p>\n
City Council speaker Edy Waluyo recommended that other
\nprojects be put on hold because anticipating the floods should
\ntake precedence.<\/p>\n
Flood prevention projects could include river dredging and
\nwaterway diversion, he said, adding that anticipative measures
\nwere more worthwhile than attempting to play catch-up when
\nflooding had begun.<\/p>\n
\"All of us realize that this year's flooding is projected to
\nbe bigger than before. That's why our preparation should also be
\ndifferent from before,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) forecast early
\nthis month that massive flooding could hit the city during the
\nupcoming rainy season due to the La Nia weather phenomenon.<\/p>\n
The flood is predicted to affect about two million people,
\nmore than double the number of victims in 1996 when Jakarta was
\nhit by the most widespread flooding in its history. The city's
\npopulation is about 10 million.<\/p>\n
The administration conducted a flood prevention parade at the
\nNational Monument compound in Central Jakarta last week,
\ninvolving the participation of about 4,000 personnel from city
\nagencies and affiliated institutions.<\/p>\n
On July 2, Governor Sutiyoso kicked off the second labor-
\nintensive program, worth Rp 87.9 billion, with the aim of
\nproviding job opportunities to more than 10,000 unemployed
\nparticipants.<\/p>\n
Projects include road upgrading and repair, cultivation of
\nneglected land and construction of irrigation networks.<\/p>\n
Edy said the administration's focus on handling flood victims
\nwas important, but he added the qualifier that it would be better
\nif preparations concentrated on prevention.<\/p>\n
\"That's why the administration should speed up the process of
\ndiverting waterways among the 13 rivers crossing the city as it
\nis one of the main flood causes.\"<\/p>\n
Head of the United Development Party faction Achmad Suaidy
\nsaid the administration should have settled the matter a couple
\nof years ago as flooding was an annual phenomenon in the city.<\/p>\n
Suaidy referred to data from the city public works agency
\nrevealing that 40 percent of the capital's area consisted of
\nlowland and 76 percent of the 13 rivers were narrow.<\/p>\n
He also said parts of the rivers had been diverted from their
\nnatural course, thereby causing the flooding.<\/p>\n
\"I don't understand why the administration does not
\nconcentrate on righting the diverted rivers, for example, as it
\nis cheaper.\"<\/p>\n
Nasrul Muluk, assistant for development administration affairs
\nof East Jakarta mayoralty, acknowledged that many rivers in East
\nJakarta had been diverted. (ind)<\/p>",
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