River embankment collapses

River embankment collapses

TANGERANG: People in five villages in Kemiri district,
Tangerang regency, are worried that they will be flooded out as
the Cimanceuri river embankment in the Kelebet village near their
homes has collapsed, despite being built last year by the
government's contractor.

"The Cimanceuri river always overflows in the rainy season.
With the collapsed embankment, the water will definitely inundate
these five villages," said Legok village chief Madkusin on
Saturday.

The five villages include Kelebet, Legok, Karang Anyar, Lontar
and Selapanjang.

"We can't do anything because we have no money to rebuild the
embankment," he added.

Kemiri district chief Chaerul Saleh said that he had reported
the damage to the regency's resettlement and regional
infrastructure agency, which built the embankment last year.
There has not yet been a response.

A villager from Legok, Hambali, alleged that the damage was
caused by the poor quality of the embankment, built by a
contractor handpicked by the local administration.

"We hope the Tangerang regency administration will intervene
with this. If the embankment is not repaired before the rainy
season comes, we will definitely be flooded out of our village,"
he said.

The rainy season is expected to arrive within the next few
weeks. -- JP