Long drought

Long drought

We have good reasons to be concerned about the long drought that will hit hectares of agricultural land in West Java as stated by H. Sanusi, Chief of the Office of Agricultural Service and Food Crops. It is also feared that ground water and rivers will decrease during that dry period.

In this context, West Java Deputy Governor Haji Ukman Utarya has warned all district chiefs not to work behind the desk only, but instead to tour the area to monitor the situation. It has also been suggested that water pumps be used to get the needed water.

We agree to the idea. However, water pumps are very expensive and wasteful. Windmills are a good alternative, but these devices must be produced by bona fide factories to guarantee their quality.

We have many engineers who are waiting for employment. They should be recruited to manage irrigation system if we are to be self-reliant in matters of food products.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta