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)