Nuriana ready to discuss flooding with Sutiyoso

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

East Java Governor R. Nuariana said on Monday that he was ready to meet with Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso and Banten Governor Djoko Munandar to discuss joint measures for preventing future flooding in western Java.

He said that such a meeting was vital because environmental damage in Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur, which has frequently been blamed for flooding in Jakarta and the Banten regency of Tangerang, had never been thoroughly discussed.

"The floods affecting Jakarta are very serious. The three governors should sit down together to discuss the Ciliwung River and the environmental damage in Bogor, Puncak and Cianajur which has been partly blamed for the disaster," he said in the city on Thursday.

He conceded that he had never been invited to discuss the problem. He said he wanted to be included in any talks that might be held on the issue because the Ciliwung River flows from East Java to Jakarta and Tangerang, while Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur fall within his province.

"The authority to issue permits for housing and other developments is in the hands of the Cianjur and Bogor regents and not mine. I just look and listen," he said.

The floods, the worst since 1996, have claimed more than 35 lives, displaced thousands of Jakartans and damaged thousands of houses and other assets.

Besides criticizing the Jakarta City administration's preventive measures and the poor quality of environmental management in the capital city, many have blamed the environmental deterioration in Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur for the floods.

Separately, Muadz, spokesman for the West Java administration, said Jakartans should not blame East Java for the environmental damage in Bogor and Puncak but rather the owners of villas, which have been mushrooming in the area.

"We should not be made the scapegoat because (the problem is) the villas, mostly developed in contravention of the spatial zone ruling and belonging to officials and businessmen in Jakarta.

"The number of West Java people who have villas in the mountain resort is enormous," he said.

He said Jakarta would face difficulties supplying tap water to its residents without access to the Ciliwung River.

Muadz said the floods affecting the province had claimed at least 25 human lives, injured 4, 311 others and damaged 82,000 hectares of paddy fields in Bogor, Karawang, Indramayu, Cirebon and Kuningan.