Drought and nature's message

Drought and nature's message

During the rainy season, we get floods. During the dry season,
we get droughts. These are the disasters which Indonesia faces
every year. Last January and February, this nation, including
Jakarta, was hit by floods. This July, the dry season is coming
to Java island, and with it the threat of drought.

Thank God these have prompted government officials to act.
Speaking after chairing a recent meeting, Coordinating Minister
for People's Welfare Yusuf Kalla said that the government has
allocated Rp 4.2 billion for cloud seeding in anticipation of the
drought in Java.

The government has also stationed 150 water tankers in 50
districts and towns in Java. The dry season and the drought pose
threats to food supply.

We are happy to see the government's action in anticipating
the threats posed by nature. Still, these efforts are only of a
temporary nature.

The floods and droughts we face every year should warn us that
the development we have been encouraging is actually damaging
nature, causing the rainy and dry seasons to make conditions
worse each year.

-- Republika, Jakarta