Megawati joins Water Day celebrations

Megawati joins Water Day celebrations

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri spent
Wednesday afternoon cruising down the dingy Ciliwung river in a
small rubber dinghy as part of an event to mark World Water Day
which fell on March 22.

Donning a life vest and cap, Megawati traveled down five
kilometers of the river which according to Antara had been
specifically cleared of its usual array of floating garbage
beforehand.

Riding in the same dinghy was Minister of Regional
Infrastructure and Settlement Erna Witoelar.

Behind them in separate dinghies were State Minister of
Environment Sonny Keraf, Junior Minister for Forestry Marzuki
Usman, State Minister for Women Empowerment/Chief of Family
Planning Board Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Jakarta Governor
Sutiyoso and City Council Speaker Edi Waluyo.

Under the tight security of eight accompanying speedboats,
Megawati began her ride at Bukit Duri. She continued down to the
Manggarai water gate in South Jakarta.

Residents living under squalid conditions along Ciliwung river
appeared enthusiastic at witnessing the presence of the Vice
President in a rubber dinghy.

They waved and screamed as she passed by their run-down
shacks. Some even decorated their houses with PDI Perjuangan
emblems.

Ciliwung is one of 13 rivers flowing through Jakarta.

Various projects, including the Prokasih river rehabilitation
and cleanup project have been taken to improve sanitary
conditions.

An action plan to save Cipinang Bening river in East Jakarta
was also launched on Wednesday, as it is notoriously known as a
heavily polluted river.

"We really hope that people can participate in saving their
river. We are running community rehabilitation projects along
Ciliwung as well as other rivers to prevent further pollution and
possible floods," Erna Witoelar said. (edt)