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