15,000 hectares of farmland dry up

BEKASI: Drought has affected at least 15,000 hectares of farmland in several districts in Bekasi regency, due to the prolonged dry season.

Chairman of the Public Participation and Information Community Imran Nasution revealed that the districts affected by severe drought were Cibarusah, West Cikarang, Central Cikarang and South Cikarang.

Imran said the situation had worsened as irrigation canals which should channel water from the Cibeet river to the farmland, were damaged.

"We regret that the regency has been slow to respond to the drought. The regency should quickly repair the irrigation canals," he said on Wednesday.

The regency earlier said that they had not repaired the canals due to a shortage of funds. -- Antara