Demolition of illegal houses to continue

Demolition of illegal houses to continue

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality is to continue demolishing
illegal houses in slum areas and along riverbanks despite the
festive season, an official said yesterday.

Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said:
"The city will not, I repeat, will not stop its program of
cleaning up riverbanks along the 13 rivers in Jakarta. Once a
program is started it has to be completed regardless of its
impact."

He said Jakarta cannot afford to waste time in its riverbank
clean-up program because of pressing factors such as water
quality, trash buildup and the mushrooming number of slum areas
which flood.

However it is difficult to relocate residents living along the
riverbanks because many cannot afford to live in the low-cost
apartments which have been set aside for them.

"During the rainy season, for example, there have been certain
densely populated areas that have been affected by flooding,
especially in North Jakarta. If we stop the crackdown just
because now is the festive season that would be naive.

"Sooner or later the illegal residents who live along the
riverbanks will be ordered to leave. So what's the difference?"

Commenting on the city's plan to relocate sidewalk vendors
throughout the city, Kahfi said that the municipality would
tolerate their presence until the Idul Fitri holiday so the
vendors could keep earning money.

"The governor has agreed to tolerate the vendors. But straight
after Idul Fitri they will have no choice but to get off the
streets and move onto plots allocated by the city
administration," he said.

The municipality has taken action at several markets,
including Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta, where some 1,350
street vendors were reorganized or relocated.

Governor Sutiyoso reiterated the need for street vendors to
operate in an orderly manner.

"I believe they are part of the city's assets. So I intend to
give them proper places to develop," he said.

Another clean-up operation was conducted at Senen market in
Central Jakarta.

Kahfi said the crackdown on street vendors is expected to show
the public that the municipality is determined to enforce its
regulations.

"The city is always serious about running its programs and we
will decide what is best for the people."

Based on available data, the municipality has conducted 431
operations against three-in-one jockeys, prostitutes, sidewalk
vendors, vagrants and beggars this year. There were also 145
campaigns along the riverbanks.

"We will soon finish clearing the land along the Ciliwung
riverbanks," Kahfi said. "We will move the residents living in
shacks along the riverbanks to nearby low-cost apartments." (edt)