Administration blamed for deluge
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Councillors have accused the city administrators for the worsening flood conditions in the capital stemming from their failure to complete several flood-control projects by the end of last year as had been scheduled.
Chairman of the council's Commission D for Development Affairs Sayogo Hendrosubroto said that the administration was unable complete the public works due to poor fiscal management, having spent just 40 percent of the total Rp 249 billion (US$24.9 million) allocated for them in the 2001 City Budget.
"It means that only 40 percent of the projects were realized. It demonstrates a poor the management of the budget," Sayogo, of the Indonesian Democratic Party, said on Tuesday.
He added that he believes the failure of the city administration in completing the projects has contributed to the poor preparation for the current flooding.
Among the incomplete flood-control projects was the development of a water dam in Daan Mogot area of West Jakarta. Part of the dam collapsed on Monday due to an increase in the water level in the Sekretaris river.
Thousands of homes in the area were flooded as a result.
The administration conducted projects called "river normalization programs," such as widening and dredging the river.
But flooding persisted, nevertheless, especially along the riverbanks.
Separately, City Public Works Agency head IGKG Suena claimed that the administration had failed to complete the flood-control projects due to what he called a "technical matter."
"We could not begin to tender the projects quickly because of the changes in the budget calculation from last year," Suena told The Jakarta Post.
Since last year, the budget was allocated starting in January; earlier, it started in April.
He said that two associations of construction firms were involved in a dispute last year, which led to a delay in the completion of the projects.
Other projects, he added, could not be realized due to the high price of land, sometimes as the result of the development of land on water ponds.
A total of Rp 40 billion was allocated for 50-hectare land appropriation for development of the East Flood Canal in eastern Jakarta. Only 50 percent of the land could be acquired, however, while half of that money went unused.
Sueana, who was installed two months ago, went on to blame his predecessor for the poor performance of his agency.
Since 60 percent of the Rp 249 billion allocated for the flood control projects in 2001 was not spent, the fund would be added to the 2002 budget, which amounted to a total of Rp 9.3 trillion, officials said.
This year, city officials added, some Rp 294 billion would be allocated for flood projects.