Sutiyoso opens boat festival

Sutiyoso opens boat festival

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso opened on Monday a traditional boat
decoration festival at Angke river, North Jakarta, as part of
efforts to normalize the function of rivers in the city.

"We're committed to normalizing all rivers in Jakarta," he
told participants of the festival in Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan
subdistrict of North Jakarta.

He said that flood problem was closely related to the
condition of the rivers. If the rivers were silted up and illegal
shanties were built along the riverbanks then they would easily
overflow during the wet season.

He called on residents to help clean up the rivers in their
respective areas as the rivers' condition will certainly affect
their lives.

Last week, the city Public Order Office forcibly evicted about
200 families living in shanties along the banks of the Angke
river. The agency said that they were illegal residents and their
buildings obstructed the water flow.

The eviction almost sparked a mass brawl between residents and
public order officers. Several people received light
injuries.--JP