Flood prevention projects fail to control floods<\/p>\n
It is almost certain that tens of thousands of people -- or maybe
\neven more -- in the city will be affected by floods in the coming
\nrainy season, as the flood prevention projects being implemented
\nby the city administration will not significantly reduce the
\nnumber of areas prone to flooding.<\/p>\n
Suena, Head of the Public Works Agency IGKG, has said that 34
\ndistricts throughout the five municipalities in the city are
\nprone to annual flooding, which comprises a total of 78 areas
\nspanning 66 subdistricts.<\/p>\n
He added that the flood prevention projects which have been
\nimplemented by his agency could only resolve floods in five
\nareas, which means that people living in the 73 remaining areas
\nshould prepare for flooding during the rainy season.<\/p>\n
According to Suena, the flood prediction in the 73 areas is
\nbased on normal conditions of rainfall. If the average rainfall
\nduring the coming rainy season is higher than normal, as it was
\nthis past January, more areas would be inundated.<\/p>\n
The cumulative rainfall at the peak of the rainy season in
\nJakarta normally measures about 400 millimeters (mm). The
\nMeteorological and Geophysical Agency (BMG) said that in January
\nand February of this year, the cumulative rainfall reached 600
\nmm, and further predicted that the cumulative rainfall for the
\ncoming rainy season in December and January will be about 500 mm.<\/p>\n
The routine budget allocated by the city administration for
\nflood prevention projects is Rp 62.98 billion. In addition, the
\nCity Public Works Agency received Rp 224 billion, while an
\nadditional amount of Rp 49.5 billion was allocated towards
\nclearing land for the Eastern Flood Canal, and another Rp 58.45
\nbillion was provided for projects handled by the Public Works
\noffices of the five districts.<\/p>\n
Wishnu S. Yusuf, head of the Water Resources Division of the
\nCity Public Works Agency, said that the agency has 13 flood
\nprevention projects financed by the 2002 city budget.<\/p>\n
However, he said that eight of the projects would not be
\ncompleted this year because some parts of the projects should be
\nfunded by the 2003 city budget.<\/p>\n
The 13 flood prevention projects being implemented by the
\nPublic Works Agency are located in: Serdang, Kebon Kacang, Rawa
\nBuaya, Pluit, Kapuk Kamal, Angke, Bukit Duri, Gunung Sahari,
\nMangga Besar, Pasar Jumat, Tanjung Duren, Kelapa Gading, and
\nCempaka Putih. The flood prevention projects include dredging
\nrivers and canals, repairing flood gates and water pumping
\nstations, and removing garbage from rivers.<\/p>\n
It has been said that Cempaka Putih, Serdang, Sumur Batu,
\nSunter Jaya, and Pasar Jumat are five areas which may be freed
\nfrom next year's floods.<\/p>\n
In response to comments on the sluggish process of the flood
\nprevention projects, Suena said that there were a number of
\nprocedural problems: first, the 2002 Budget was approved by the
\nCity Council in late January, not early January as planned; and
\nsecond, the floods which occurred in January and February have
\ncaused many officials in his agency to concentrate on how to help
\nthe flood victims instead of on preventative measures.<\/p>\n
Finally, according to Suena, the tender of the projects was
\nimplemented around March and April, then took another three
\nmonths to process, so the projects were implemented around July
\nand August.<\/p>\n
\"The procedures were unavoidable. I also wish that the
\nprojects could have been realized immediately,\" Suena said.<\/p>\n
He added that the city's gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial
\nelections had also affected the implementation of the flood
\nprevention projects, because it absorbed the concentration of
\ncity officials.<\/p>\n
\"During the period, the governor and many officials were quite
\nbusy, while we needed to coordinate with other institutions and
\nalso with the governor,\" he said. -- Bambang Nurbianto<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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