Foreign money to solve flooding

JAKARTA: Central Jakarta mayoralty received Rp 1.4 trillion (US$148.15 million) from foreign sources for a flood control project on the Ciliwung river recently, the Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno said on Wednesday.

"These funds are now available," Soenarno said at City Hall after attending a meeting concerning the river project.

He said the money consists of a Rp 1.3 trillion soft loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and a US$10 million grant from the government of the Netherlands.

The flood control project for the 130-kilometer long river was deemed necessary because it was one of the main factors that exacerbated the huge floods which inundated most of Greater Jakarta in February.

The overall program to prevent flooding will include the development of the 23-kilometer long East Flood Canal project which will cost between Rp 15 trillion and Rp 20 trillion. It was proposed and planned decades ago, and each year City budget funds are allocated, but the work has not yet begun. It is estimated to take at least 10 years to complete once construction begins. -- JP