Artesian wells to solve crisis

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Facing a water crisis, the East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration will turn to artesian wells, an official said.

According to a land survey, there are 5,100 potential artesian wells in the areas worst hit by the water crisis in the province.

"Many areas in East Nusa Tenggara are already suffering from a lack of water and the rain is not expected to return until sometime around December," the head of the provincial Resettlement Office, Dibrael Klaping, said on Monday.

But limited funds means the administration will not be able to exploit all of the potential well sites. In the 2005 provincial budget, Rp 3.8 billion has been set aside to develop wells.

"Due to limited funds, we will only be able to drill 13 wells," Klaping said.-- JP