Extensive use of artesian wells causes land to sink

JAKARTA (JP): The city public works office has discovered ground subsidence in some 300 parts of the city which it says is due to the extensive use of artesian wells along with other aspects of the development process in those areas.

Head of the office, Soeharto, told reporters yesterday that most of the sites were located in North Jakarta.

"Most are found in North Jakarta areas, such as on Jl. Martadinata, the Pasar Ikan area and Jl. Gunung Sahari," he said. "Currently, the ground surface is between 30 cm and 60 cm lower."

He said the phenomenon was normal and occurred in other big cities in Asia.

He said that, technically, it was natural, given the extensive use of artesian wells and the development of high-rise buildings.

"Land will automatically subside when people pump the water out extensively," Soeharto said, adding that was why city administration had limited the use of artesian wells in the city.

On the question of the subsidence of a part of Jl. Mangga Dua, North Jakarta, which has triggered flooding in the street, Soeharto said that the city administration and several private companies were working together to overcome the problem.

"The city administration has provided Rp 500 million to upgrade the roads, while several private companies have contributed Rp 1.5 billion for the purchase of water pumps," he said.

Soeharto said that the private companies included PT Duta Anggada, PT Agung Sedayu and Mangga Dua tower.

He said water pumps were needed to pump the water off the road and into Gunung Sahari river.

"The road is badly damaged, so a great large amount of funds are required to repair it," Soeharto said.

Every day Jl. Mangga dua is inundated with water, causing material and financial losses to businessmen in the area, chiefly because many people are reluctant to shop there and have begun to opt for other shopping centers.

Recently, Assistant to the City Secretary Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo said the roads around the International Trade Center in Mangga Dua, North Jakarta, had sunk 45 cm and that was the cause of the flooding in the area.(yns)