Equitable development vital for Jakarta
Equitable development vital for Jakarta
By Rita A. Widiadana
Otto Soemarwotto, a professor of biology, is widely respected
as one of Indonesia's environmental advocates. He has spent most
of his life promoting environmental issues in Indonesia and
abroad.
A futurist, his ideas are considered controversial by many
people, government officials in particular. But this has never
affected Otto's stance on things he believes in. "A scholar must
reveal the truth," Otto insists.
Born in Purwokerto, Central Java, on Feb. 19, l926, young Otto
joined the School of Navigation in Cilacap, Central Jakarta, and
served as a navigator in l944 and l945. He joined the Indonesian
student troops during the Independence period between l948 and
1949.
In l949, Otto entered the School of Agriculture at Gadjah Mada
University in Yogyakarta. He graduated with a cum laude status
five years later. He obtained his doctoral degree in plant
physiology from the University of California in Berkeley, the
United States in l960. He married a fellow student at Berkeley,
Idjah Natadiparadja, a zoologist. The couple had four children,
but their second child died during infancy.
Otto was appointed professor at Gajah Mada University when he
was only 34 years old. In l972, he was appointed as Director of
the National Biological Agency. He helped found and directed the
Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization and Biotrop in
Bogor, West Java.
When he moved to Bandung in 1973, he established a Natural
Resources and Environment Center at the University of Pajajaran
in Bandung, West Java, the first of its kind in Indonesia.
Otto has produced abundant scientific reports and papers on
environmental issues. He also promotes environmental studies.
Among his scientific writings are Alang-Alang Problem in
Indonesia and Ecological Aspects of Development. Otto also wrote
a series of books for high school students. Among those books are
Problem of High School Biology Teaching in Indonesia and Jaring-
Jaring Kehidupan.
Otto's achievements in advocating environmental issues are
recognized by domestic and international scientific circles.
In l983, Otto received the Bintang Mahaputra, the highest honor,
from the Indonesian government. In l993, the Wageningen
Agriculture University in the Netherlands awarded him a doctoral
honors degree in agriculture and environment.
He was appointed as a member of Board of Directors of the
International Institute for Environment and Development in New
York and London from 1971 to 1978 and is currently a member of
International Commission on Ecology in Switzerland.
The Jakarta Post interviewed the professor on Wednesday
regarding the looming water crisis expected to hit Jakarta and
its surrounding areas in the coming years. Here are excerpts of
that interview.
Question: The United Nations recently revealed its latest
study which includes a warning that Jakarta is one of the cities
in the world that will suffer a serious water crisis in the years
after 2000. Do you see any truth in the study?
Answer: Many experts and various environmental agencies have
long seen this possible danger. This is the official study done
by a reliable world body and hopefully the government will
immediately take this newest finding into its account.
Q: Does it mean that the government has never seriously
considered the previous warnings on the potential threat of water
crisis?
A: I think the government has already realized the problem, but
for various reasons, no real and comprehensive actions have been
taken to solve it.
Q: How bad is the water condition in Jakarta?
A: There are multiple factors which affect the current water
condition in the city. Jakarta's land surface is on the same
level as the sea during high tide. This topographical condition
has made the city prone to flooding. The erosion of meandering
rivers has worsened the situation. The erosion has caused severe
sedimentation in the rivers and can easily cause overflowing of
the river water.
The conditions are also aggravated by human factors, such as
the destruction of the water catchments in the Bogor-Puncak-
Cianjur areas and the southern part of Jakarta to make way for
residential and industrial sites. The diehard habit of throwing
waste into the rivers has also created pollution problems.
Population pressure has accelerated sedimentation in the
city's 13 rivers, while encroachment on their basins continues to
go unchecked. This will cause serious flooding like that which
occurred last month.
The widespread flooding that hit Jakarta between Feb. 10 and
12 killed at least 22 people, forced thousands of families to
flee homes, crippled the city traffic and caused about Rp 90
billion (about US$40 million) in material damage.
Water problems in most nations arise from inefficient and
unsustainable use of supplies. Pressure on the world's water
supply comes from population growth, pollution and the high cost
of finding new resources. Development activity is also
overwhelming water management.
This also happens in Jakarta. The need for tap water is so
high for industrial and household activities, but the state-owned
water agency is not yet able to provide sufficient quality tap
water. This has led to over-exploitation of groundwater by
households and industries.
The exploitation of groundwater reserves could lead to a drop
in water table levels, sea water intrusion and pollution of the
groundwater reserves.
The groundwater in North Jakarta is now subsiding and will
drop by as much as four meters in the next three decades if the
current groundwater exploitation is not properly controlled.
Some areas around Jl. R.E Martadinata and Penjaringan have
sunk by between 70 centimeters and one meter.
By 2025 the ground level subsidence can be expected to
endanger multi-story buildings, roads and bridges in the area.
Groundwater exploitation has also caused Jl. Gunung Sahari in
Central Jakarta and the main thoroughfares, Jl. MH Thamrin and
Jl. Jend. Sudirman, to gradually subside.
Groundwater use will still be high in 30 years due to
continuing high demand in the capital city, whereas the capacity
of the Ciliwung and Cisadane rivers, which supply water to
Greater Jakarta, is limited.
The Ciliwung river now supplies 10 cubic meters of water per
second to the greater Jakarta area, while the demand is now 30
cubic meters per second. By 2025, the demand for water is
projected to reach 70 cubic meters per second.
The 1980 census recorded that Greater Jakarta had 16.9 million
people and Jakarta proper 8.2 million. With population growth
steady at 2.4 percent in Jakarta and 4.1 to 6.4 percent in
Greater Jakarta, there will be 39 million people living in the
areas by 2025.
You can imagine how much water will be needed.
What is happening now in Jakarta is that development projects
and rapid population growth have gradually reduced the city's
water catchment areas and led to over-exploitation of
groundwater.
As the condition continues, Jakarta will sink in the next few
decades. During the rainy seasons the city will likely suffer
serious flooding which will get worse every year.
The dry season could also have severe implications on water
supplies in the area. Overuse of groundwater could severely
deplete water resources. Jakarta will face critical water
shortages. The severity of the dry season in Indonesia has been
less predictable over the last four years.
The rising temperatures due to global warming on the surface
of the Central Pacific have in turn led to declining rainfall
during the dry seasons in Indonesia.
In each of the last four years, the average rainfall in
Indonesia was 62 percent of the normal rate.
Another serious problem is the city's ongoing project to
reclaim 2,700 hectares of the Jakarta Bay. The project may result
in more severe ecological problems for the city.
I think the planners only consider short-term advantages. But,
they should actually think of long-term consequences.
The reclamation of Jakarta Bay will likely change the wave
current in the bay and the waves will erode other beaches.
The planners should also consider the possible global warming
process. One of the negative impacts of global warming is the
rising of the tidal current.
The rise of tidal current will also prevent the flow of water
from the city's rivers. This may result in devastating floods in
the city and its surrounding areas when the reclamation project
is completed.
Experts are not yet able to precisely estimate just how much
the seawater will rise. But, there is a theory saying that for
each centimeter of seawater rise, the line of the beach will
decline one meter. When the rise of the seawater level reaches
about 25 cm by 2020, the line of the beaches will decline 25
meters.
Other negative impacts of global warming could be increased
rainfall, strong winds and typhoons, or hurricanes. Jakarta will
be prone to hurricanes.
These predictable natural phenomenon should be considered when
we plan to reclaim the Jakarta Bay or other beach front areas.
Don't think only of short term benefits. We must think of the
ecological disasters that will haunt us in the future.
Q: Do you think the government has made proper efforts to solve
the water problem in Jakarta?
A: In search of short-term solutions, I think the government is
already on the right track. The planned construction of canals,
the straightening of the city's rivers and the upgrading of water
ponds and swamps are the right solution although they are costly.
But, they are only healing the wounds. Such efforts do not solve
the core problems.
The government's vow to tighten control over the development
activities in the Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur areas, which have
been designated as the city's water shed, is positive. But,
honestly I feel rather pessimistic because the government has
rarely kept its promises. When the floods are over, they forget
their promises. The situation is hangat-hangat tai ayam, just
quick fixes and little more.
Q: What are your long-term suggestions to save Jakarta from
further damage?
A: Jakarta has long been burdened by various development
activities. The burden is so heavy now that the city cannot
actually afford to accommodate any development activity.
The development projects cannot be stopped, but they can be
regulated. Stop development activities in Jakarta and spread them
to other cities.
There is an idea to move the capital from Jakarta. However,
this is not a wise solution. It would spawn new environmental
problems in other places.
I suggest that the government move its ministry offices to the
proper places. The Ministry of Forestry, for instance, can be
moved to Kalimantan because it is the center area for forestry.
The government can also move its Ministry of Industry to Batam
island and the Ministry of Mining to Irian Jaya.
This is my newest idea. People might think it crazy, but they
have to think of the social and economic implications in the
future.
Most investors are reluctant to open their businesses outside
Jakarta because of lack of infrastructure. Various difficulties
in obtaining operation licenses from related government offices
are also a handicap. Investors must come to Jakarta to apply for
the necessary documents. Therefore, it would be very costly and
inefficient for these investors to open their businesses outside
Jakarta.
It is no wonder that these investors flock to the capital
because industrial activities are centralized in the city.
Industries need a lot of human resources and therefore create
urbanization problems. More and more people are coming to Jakarta
for a better life. As a matter of fact, industries create serious
population, social and environmental problems.
Let's say, the Ministry of Industry and related agencies are
moved to Batam Island where industrial activities are encouraged.
It would become unnecessary for investors to go to Jakarta. The
investors will develop their industries on the island and absorb
workforce from its surrounding areas. Such business activities
will also boost the economies in the affected areas.
At the same time, industrial activities may also spread to
nearby areas in Riau and North Sumatra. If such development
activities were decentralized, people would no longer think of
going to Jakarta to chase their dreams. This would certainly
eliminate population and environmental problems in Jakarta
because the city would lose its attraction as a business center.
A capital city does not need to become a major business
center.
Now, the gap in the development and level of social welfare
between Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia is still wide
because of the centralization of industrial activities.
Q: Many people will think your idea is inefficient because it may
be difficult for the President to communicate with his ministers
and staff. What do you think?
A: We are now living in a hi-tech era. The President is now able
to contact his subordinates by using telephones, facsimile
machines, and other modern telecommunication equipment. If he
wants to meet his ministers all together at the same moment, he
can hold a teleconference. There is no more excuse for
communication problems. If the President wants to meet his
ministers, he may ask them to come to the capital once a month.
It sounds so easy and efficient, doesn't it?