Rivers to be dredged for flood prevention

JAKARTA (JP): The city public works will spend Rp 15 billion (US$ 6.52 million) dredging twelve rivers from September in a bid to curb the flooding expected next rainy season, Dargono Danuprawiro, the head of the city office of the Ministry of Public Works, said yesterday.

Also yesterday, the head of the public works agency Soeharto said the central government would dredge and widen five rivers by the end of the year.

Dredging must be done immediately to avoid floods like those in January and February which killed 30 people and cost Rp 90 billion, according to official estimates.

The head of Ciliwung-Cisadane Rivers Improvement Project, Siswoko, said recently that urgent projects also included fixing the flood gate controls and picking the garbage out of rivers.

"The activities will begin in the 1996/1997 fiscal year, Siswoko said.

The housing agency head Ongky Sukasah said yesterday that the agency was compensating more than 500 families affected by the river widening projects.

Compensation will be completed by the end of the month, he said.

The city has provided 400 low cost apartments in Bidara Cina, East Jakarta, for relocated residents. Others, who have received up to Rp 50 million, said they would buy a home elsewhere.

Siswoko said the rivers to be dredged included the Angke, Muara Karang, Ciliwung-Gajah Mada, Ciliwung-Gunung Sahari, Ancol and Sunter rivers.

Dredging the rivers is one way to increase the capacity of them without acquiring more land.

Siswoko said that in the long-term the government planned to dredge other rivers in the city including the Kamal, Angke Hilir, Banjir Kanal, Ciliwung Lama (from Manggarai to Pintu Air Capitol/Istiqlal mosque), Sentiong, Sunter and Marunda rivers.

In the short-term, the government plans to fix the flood gates in Manggarai, Karet, the Capitol near the Istiqlal mosque, and Pasar Ikan, he said.

The administration is also increasing the height of flood canal walls and fixing water pumps.

"The municipality plans to fix and increase the number of pumps to have them in 30 locations throughout the city. We will also build electricity centers and provide generators for them," Rusdi Yusuf, an official from the city development planning board, said earlier.

The National Planning Board has earmarked around Rp 12 billion (US$ 5.4 million) from the coming 1996/1997 budget for flood control projects in Greater Jakarta. (yns)