'One authority should control city rivers'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Floods could be prevented effectively only by a
\nsingle authority supervising river basins, speakers at a
\ndiscussion on floods said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Head of the City Public Works Office Soeharto said at the
\ndiscussion the authority should at least be responsible for the
\nmain rivers flowing through Jakarta and other areas in West Java,
\nin particular the Citarum, Ciliwung and Cisadane rivers.<\/p>\n
The discussion was held by the Agency for the Assessment and
\nApplication of Technology's (BPPT) settlement and environmental
\nhealth division.<\/p>\n
A single authority would enable better control of activities
\nalong river banks and in river basin areas, he said.<\/p>\n
Such an authority would also enable better protection of
\nJakarta's increasingly scarce water because consumers would have
\nto buy water so would use less.<\/p>\n
An exemplary model of such an authority is the state-owned
\nPerum Jasa Tirta which manages the Brantas River in East Java,
\nSoeharto said.<\/p>\n
Jasa Tirta sells water to all bodies which need it including
\nindustry.<\/p>\n
An executive of the National Research Council under the State
\nMinistry of Research and Technology, Jacub Rais, said the idea
\nwas not new.<\/p>\n
The idea of a "watershed authority" for all river basins was
\nraised in the late 1970s by a high-ranking National Development
\nPlanning Board (Bappenas) official, Jacub said.<\/p>\n
But the idea "was gradually lost to administrative divisions"
\nleading to "chaotic" West Java river basin conditions, he said.<\/p>\n
The discussion included a presentation by a remote sensing
\nspecialist, Gatot Hendrarto, who used satellite pictures to show
\nthe effects of uncontrolled housing growth in West Java's river
\nbasins.<\/p>\n
Gatot cited an earlier statement by the Director General for
\nWater Resources Development, Soeparmono, who said more attention
\nmust be directed to the middle part of Ciliwung's river basin.<\/p>\n
This area, Soeparmono had said, is responsible for a larger
\npotential run-off than the upper part of the river located in the
\nPuncak mountain resort area.<\/p>\n
Gatot said the worst affected areas caused by human activities
\nincluded the middle part of Depok.<\/p>\n
A source at the city's public works agency cited many separate
\nauthorities which presently had to be involved in improving river
\nconditions.<\/p>\n
Efforts to control construction in river basin areas must deal
\nwith regional administrations who issue permits for developers.
\nTackling pollution by industries along rivers involves the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade, and problems related to
\nconservation areas come under the Ministry of Forestry, the
\nsource said.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja has also
\ncalled for integrated management of Ciliwung's river basin. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/one-authority-should-control-city-rivers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}