Dangers of urbanization

Dangers of urbanization

The same problem confronts the Jakarta City administration
every time after Idul Fitri. Jakarta's population continues to
swell because, after spending the holidays in their respective
home towns and villages, people come back to Jakarta with
relatives or other people who are lured by those people's
success.

Jakarta's Governor Surjadi Soedirdja recently estimated that
the number of newcomers who will arrive after Lebaran may reach
250,000 to 300,000, while Jakarta already has a population of
around 8.5 million people.

Note should be taken that this flow of urbanization comes as a
result of economic stagnancy in the rural areas, where the
agricultural sector proves to be unable to absorb the growing
numbers of people of productive age.

Then, too, there are those who are forced to move because of
arable land being used for golf courses, real estate development
or industry. Lacking both capital and the necessary skills,
people move to the cities and become parasites.

Considering all this, urbanization to Jakarta must be
controlled through coordinated efforts. The Jakarta city
administration cannot solve the problem on its own, because in
that case only a one-sided solution will result, such as by
trying to restrict the number of newcomers.

Experts predict that unless urbanization is stemmed Jakarta
will be bound to face formidable and serious problems. By the
year 2000 Jakarta will have an estimated population of about 13
million and by 2025 it will have 20 million to 30 million people.

Such a huge population would bring problems affecting the
environment, the infrastructure, employment, supplies of goods
and services, inflation and other economic and social conditions.

Millions of people will be fighting for a slice of the
economic pie and those who are left out might cause trouble.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta