Low-cost apartments planned for flood-prone areas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday his
\nadministration plans to build low-cost apartments in flood-prone
\nareas across the capital.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a visit to flood victims in Cawang, East
\nJakarta, Sutiyoso said he would submit the plan to the City
\nCouncil for approval, along with a proposal to finance the
\nproject, which would change the 2001 city budget.<\/p>\n
Cawang subdistrict, located along the banks of Ciliwung River,
\nwas one of the areas worst hit by recent flooding. Last week, at
\nleast 226 houses were standing in 1.5 meters of floodwater,
\nforcing residents to seek shelter in the local subdistrict office
\nand in tents set up on higher ground.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said the densely populated area, located about six
\nmeters below street level, was not designated for housing.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the current residents will be willing to stay in the
\nlow-cost apartments, and newcomers will not be allowed to occupy
\nthis area,\" said Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
As of Monday, the water level in the area had subsided but
\ndozens of houses were still standing in up to 50 centimeters of
\nwater. Relief supplies have yet to reach the area.<\/p>\n
\"This is the worst flooding since 1996. One of our neighbors,
\nAfrizal, who was 22 years old, was found dead, floating in the
\nwater,\" said Mrs. Dono Saputra, a local resident.<\/p>\n
She said Afrizal was helping neighbors cross the swollen river
\nwhen he suffered stomach cramps and drowned.<\/p>\n
She also complained about a lack of food. \"My family only
\nreceived five packages of instant noodles from a hotel located
\nnot far from here,\" she said, adding that there was no communal
\nkitchen in her area.<\/p>\n
The complaint was instantly conveyed to East Jakarta Mayor
\nAndy Mappaganty, who was present during the governor's visit.<\/p>\n
The mayor slammed his subordinates for delaying the delivery
\nof relief supplies.<\/p>\n
\"I sent supplies comprising four tons of rice, 612 boxes of
\ninstant noodles and 140 liters of cooking oil,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As of 8 p.m. on Monday, more people had been evacuated from
\ntheir homes due to the rising level of the Ciliwung River, which
\nis overflowing because of continued rain upstream. The evacuees
\nsought shelter in the St. Maria school in Kampung Melayu,
\nJatinegara, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"At least 550 people have thronged to the temporary shelter.
\nThe number has increased from 400 people on Sunday,\" said the
\nspokesman for the East Jakarta office of the Indonesian Red
\nCross, Reza.<\/p>\n
So far, Reza said, there were sufficient supplies for all of
\nthe evacuees, thanks to the food and other basic needs donated by
\nlocal residents.<\/p>\n
In Kampung Melayu and Bidara Cina subdistricts, which also
\nwere badly hit by flooding, the water level reached two meters on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
\"Local community leaders informed us the water will reach 1.5
\nmeters (on Monday evening) because the floodgate in Depok, south
\nof Jakarta, has been opened again,\" added Reza.<\/p>\n
According to the head of the City Public Works Agency, Fadly
\nChatib, the water level at the Depok floodgate was expected to
\nreach 240 centimeters on Monday evening, an increase from 190
\ncentimeters that morning.<\/p>\n
\"We have also opened the Manggarai floodgate in Central
\nJakarta to channel the overflowing water to the sea. We will
\nissue a red alert when the water reaches 300 centimeters at the
\nDepok floodgate,\" said Fadly, who also was present during the
\ngovernor's visit.<\/p>\n
Airport<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Tangerang Mayor M. Thamrin said the local
\nadministration planned to build an alternative road to Soekarno-
\nHatta International Airport to anticipate flooding on the
\nSedyatmo toll road.<\/p>\n
He said on Monday the four-kilometer road west of the
\nairport's entrance would be funded by money from the central
\ngovernment and local administration's budgets.<\/p>\n
\"But at least 300 families living in the area will have to be
\nmoved. Also, the land is owned by the public works agency for
\nirrigation affairs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said motorists would be able to reach the road via the
\nJakarta-Merak toll road, and from Serpong and Lippo Karawaci.
\n(07\/41)<\/p>",
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