Prevention better than cure<\/p>\n
Heart warming though it is to see local Jakartans uniting to
\ngather goods and money for distribution to those affected by the
\nrecent floods, two questions must be asked in regard to this
\nsituation. Firstly, why was such devastation wrought during only
\na relatively mild monsoon? And secondly, what is being done by
\nthose in power to prevent the recurrence of such a catastrophe?<\/p>\n
In all reality, this situation should not have occurred, nor
\ncould it, had the guidelines for planning and development (as set
\ndown by the Indonesian government) been adhered to.<\/p>\n
A relatively stringent set of provisions exists to prevent any
\nwidespread exploitation of the environment for capital gain by
\nindividuals and companies, and harsh penalties exist (on paper at
\nleast) for those who breach them.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, it has now become common practice for these
\nregulations to be flouted by private enterprises for the sake of
\nshort-term capital gain, with clear felling of pristine rain
\nforests, rampant urban expansion and unchecked dumping of waste
\nmaterials into waterways all occurring at the apparent
\nindifference of authorities.<\/p>\n
As a result we see up-stream catchment areas denuded of trees
\nin order to make space for yet another multileveled plaza or a
\nbigger five-star hotel; when it rains now, water which should
\nhave been trapped in natural reserves has nowhere to go but down
\nstream, the result of which we saw recently: catastrophe.<\/p>\n
While it is true that this latest disaster could not have
\noccurred without the influence of nature, for reasons stated, it
\ncannot be considered as a purely natural disaster, unless the
\nauthorities significantly reorder their priorities and shift
\ntheir focus from short-term gain to more sustainable,
\necologically viable development (as would occur were the current
\nregulations enforced more vigorously), we can expect to see more
\nand more episodes like the one just passed.<\/p>\n
It is just unfortunate that those who pay the greatest price
\nfor the greed and myopia endemic among developers are the poor,
\nand because they have so little to begin with their losses are
\nall the more profound.<\/p>\n
So while I applaud the efforts of those good enough to
\nunquestioningly collect food, materials and funding for the less
\nfortunate fellows, I continue to ask myself \"should they be doing
\nthis job at all?\"<\/p>\n
It seems that we prefer to unite and work together after
\ndisaster strikes rather than acting in solidarity to prevent it
\ntaking place at all.<\/p>\n
ANDREW CLIFT<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prevention-better-than-cure-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }