Public works office asked to save ponds

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has ordered officials of the city public works office to protect the existence of ponds in the greater Jakarta area in a bid to help preserve the city's limited water sources.

"We have to maintain the number of ponds in Jakarta. If a pond starts to silt up due to a large quantity of mud or garbage, the officers are obliged to dredge them again," Surjadi told newsmen over the weekend.

The governor said that the existence of the lakes is not only important for the city water catchment areas but also essential in preventing salt water intrusion and the floods.

Suara Pembaruan daily reported on Saturday that there are at least six abandoned water catchment ponds in Jakarta. They are Rawaguruh, Rawa Pangonan, Rawa Domba and Ria-rio dam in East Jakarta as well as Pluit and Sunter dams in North Jakarta.

The daily stated that the disappearance of man-made and natural ponds in Jakarta is caused mainly by the reclamation activities undertaken to make way for housing construction.

Kompas daily reported recently that there are approximately 300 ponds and lakes in West Java, most located in the greater Jakarta area. Over 120 lakes are located in Bogor, a town 60 kilometers to the south in West Java, 45 in Tangerang and 12 in Bekasi.

Ten lakes in Bogor, with a total area of 1,170.25 hectares, have dried up. Lake Kemang, one of the biggest, has sharply decreased in size from 50 hectares to only five now.

The size of Lake Patrasena, the biggest of the 45 lakes in Tangerang township, has dwindled from 390 to 39 hectares now.

Bekasi township has 12 lakes, of which half have already vanished at the hands of industrial development.

Kompas reported that in an effort to preserve the lakes and ponds in the greater Jakarta area, officials of the public works ministry and West Java's administration have planned to protect 29 lakes in Bogor and 17 lakes in Tangerang.

According to 1974's Law No. 11., ponds and lakes are considered natural resources and must be protected.

The government's commitment to preserve lakes and ponds in Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur in West Jakarta was made in two presidential decrees, issued in 1983 and 1985. Such preservation is vital to help secure the supply of water for Jakartans. (mas)