6,600 ha of crops suffer as drought hits Central Java

6,600 ha of crops suffer as drought hits Central Java

BANJARNEGARA, Central Java (JP): Severe drought has hit many
areas in the province, one of Indonesia's largest rice growing
areas, and the rainy season is still two months away.

Data at the provincial food crops agency shows that up to
June, crops in 6,636 hectares of paddy fields had reportedly
wilted and the water level in several major reservoirs' has
dropped drastically.

The Badhe reservoir in Boyolali, which has a capacity of 2.4
million cubic meters and is capable of irrigating 1,500 hectares
of paddy fields, has dried up and its bottom is developing
cracks.

The hardest hit regencies include Boyolali, Pati, Sragen,
Wonogiri, Sukoharjo, Rembang, Blora, Semarang, Grobogan and
Banjarnegara.

Local officials said it is the first time the Badhe reservoir
has run out of water. They mentioned sedimentation and lack of
water from the Serang River as the main causes.

The giant Kedungombo reservoir, also in Boyolali, is another
victim of the drought. But local people who lost their land for
the controversial project in the late 1980s are exploiting the
situation by growing cassava and corn on its drying slopes,
Antara reported.

In Banjarnegara, a mountainous western regency, severe drought
has reportedly stricken 35 villages. Over the past month,
residents in the villages have found it increasingly difficult to
obtain drinking water.

Banjarnegara regent Nurachmad told The Jakarta Post yesterday
that the situation in his area is "worrying" because even major
reservoirs like Mrica, Selomerto and Banarcahyana are also
drying.

"I believe the water crisis has stricken more than the 35
villages because not all subdistrict chiefs have filed their
reports on the drought in their area," he said.

Central Java governor Soewardi has formed teams to handle the
water crisis. The task force is transporting drinking water to
stricken areas by truck. (wah/pan)