Flood control projects 'must get full attention'

Flood control projects 'must get full attention'

JAKARTA (JP): Local legislators called on the city
administration yesterday to shift its full attention to labor-
intensive projects on flood prevention to head off dour forecasts
of massive flooding during the next rainy season.

City Council speaker Edy Waluyo recommended that other
projects be put on hold because anticipating the floods should
take precedence.

Flood prevention projects could include river dredging and
waterway diversion, he said, adding that anticipative measures
were more worthwhile than attempting to play catch-up when
flooding had begun.

"All of us realize that this year's flooding is projected to
be bigger than before. That's why our preparation should also be
different from before," he said.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) forecast early
this month that massive flooding could hit the city during the
upcoming rainy season due to the La Nia weather phenomenon.

The flood is predicted to affect about two million people,
more than double the number of victims in 1996 when Jakarta was
hit by the most widespread flooding in its history. The city's
population is about 10 million.

The administration conducted a flood prevention parade at the
National Monument compound in Central Jakarta last week,
involving the participation of about 4,000 personnel from city
agencies and affiliated institutions.

On July 2, Governor Sutiyoso kicked off the second labor-
intensive program, worth Rp 87.9 billion, with the aim of
providing job opportunities to more than 10,000 unemployed
participants.

Projects include road upgrading and repair, cultivation of
neglected land and construction of irrigation networks.

Edy said the administration's focus on handling flood victims
was important, but he added the qualifier that it would be better
if preparations concentrated on prevention.

"That's why the administration should speed up the process of
diverting waterways among the 13 rivers crossing the city as it
is one of the main flood causes."

Head of the United Development Party faction Achmad Suaidy
said the administration should have settled the matter a couple
of years ago as flooding was an annual phenomenon in the city.

Suaidy referred to data from the city public works agency
revealing that 40 percent of the capital's area consisted of
lowland and 76 percent of the 13 rivers were narrow.

He also said parts of the rivers had been diverted from their
natural course, thereby causing the flooding.

"I don't understand why the administration does not
concentrate on righting the diverted rivers, for example, as it
is cheaper."

Nasrul Muluk, assistant for development administration affairs
of East Jakarta mayoralty, acknowledged that many rivers in East
Jakarta had been diverted. (ind)