Flooding still an acute problem in Jakarta<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta people should prepare for more flooding, likely to hit
\nearly next year as the city can only tackle a small part of the
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
Head of the City Public Works Agency IGKG Suena said that 78
\nlocations in the city were usually inundated during the rainy
\nseason every year. But at present, the city administration can
\nonly tackle the flooding problem at five of them.<\/p>\n
"The remaining 73, mostly in North Jakarta, will still be
\nliable to flooding during the annual rainy season," Suena told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"We are not talking about the flood that inundated almost 70
\npercent of the city early this year. We are talking about
\nflooding that occurs annually," said Suena.<\/p>\n
The five areas expected to gain relief from flooding are:
\nTanah Merah, Pluit, North Jakarta; Kebon Baru, Tebet, South
\nJakarta; Utan Kayu, Matraman, East Jakarta; Cempaka Putih,
\nCentral Jakarta and Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The 73 areas likely to suffer flooding are spread across all
\nfive of the city's municipalities.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Suena added, the public should prepare itself for
\nthe next rainy season as the city administration is unable to
\ndeal with flooding in major parts of the capital.<\/p>\n
According to Suena, some Rp 125 billion has been allocated to
\nflood prevention projects this year. This comprises Rp 55 billion
\nfrom the city administration and Rp 70 billion from the central
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
He said the city's budget alone this year only allocated some
\nRp 22 billion to flood prevention projects, mostly for land
\nacquisition for the Eastern Flood Canal project.<\/p>\n
But in view of the very severe flooding in January and
\nFebruary, the city administration has this year added funds of Rp
\n33 billion to flood prevention projects, which include the
\ndredging of rivers, repair of water pumps, improvements to the
\ndrainage system and cleaning up of a number of rivers.<\/p>\n
Suena also said that the city would use the Rp 70 billion from
\nthe central government to finance flood prevention projects,
\nparticularly for dredging six main rivers of the total 13 in the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
The six rivers include the Western Flood Canal, Cengkareng
\nchannel, Sunter river, Pluit channel, Ciliwung river in the
\nGunung Sahari area and the Beton river.<\/p>\n
According to Suena, next year his agency would begin the
\nCiliwung revitalization project, to be funded by a Japanese
\ngovernment contribution of Rp 1.3 trillion.<\/p>\n
"If the project is completed next year, it is hoped that
\npeople living alongside the Ciliwung river will not be affected
\nby flooding," added Suwena.<\/p>\n
According to him, construction of the 23-kilometer Eastern
\nFlood Canal project should be postponed as the government has no
\nmoney to continue the project.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that thus far, only some 5 percent of the land
\nnecessary for the project had been acquired.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/flooding-still-an-acute-problem-in-jakarta-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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