Rivers to be dredged for flood prevention

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)