City urged to buy water cathment plot
City urged to buy water cathment plot
JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty is urging the city
administration to purchase a 300 hectare plot in Jagakarsa
subdistrict in an effort to preserve it as a water catchment
area.
Mayor Pardjoko told reporters yesterday that the 300 hectare
plot is currently privately owned. He expressed concern that the
plot could be improperly used, possibly leading to environmental
damage because the area is designated as a water catchment area.
He also said that an official proposal regarding the land's
purchase has been sent to the city administration.
Pardjoko said the purchase could be made soon because the
price of land in Jagakarsa is relatively cheap, about Rp 500,000
per square meter.
"The area is also scarcely populated. Therefore, only a small
number of families will have to be evicted once the
administration decides to use the land," he said.
If the program is successful, the administration can purchase
land in other subdistricts in the future.
Several subdistricts in South Jakarta, including Jagakarsa and
Pasar Minggu, have been designated as water catchment areas. The
local administration established more requirements for those who
want to construct buildings in the area.
Pardjoko said the only way the administration can preserve
water catchment areas in South Jakarta is to purchase the land.
"I cannot guarantee that the areas will not change, because
many people think South Jakarta is an ideal location to live. The
population density in South Jakarta is about 13,000 people per
square kilometer and it will increase in the future," he said.
According to data from the city development board, in 2005,
there will be a total of three million people living in South
Jakarta, or 19,607 people per square kilometer.
Pardjoko also said another factor which can reduce the
function of the land as a water catchment area is the excessive
use of artesian wells in South Jakarta.
"Most South Jakarta residents use artesian wells because tap
water service has not yet come to the area. I don't know when the
city water company can improve its services," he said.
Recently, Deputy Governor For Economic and Development Affairs
TB. M. Rais said the city administration has been trying to
preserve water catchment areas in the city by creating tough
regulations.
Rais said the City Council just passed a provincial decree on
development. The decree stipulates that developers who intend to
use green areas for their projects should pay a great deal of
compensation to the administration.
"Hopefully, developers will think carefully before proposing
their plans to us," Rais said.
The money collected from developers who want to build houses
could be used to buy the land proposed by Mayor Pardjoko.
Ideally, 30 percent of Jakarta's total areas must be green
areas. Currently, only 10 percent or 6,500 hectares of space is
used for the purpose. Jakarta is home to around nine million
people. (yns)