Jakarta – Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo and the governors and deputy governors of neighboring Banten and West Java met with lawmakers Thursday to discuss flood mitigation in the capital.
During the meeting, the administrations of Jakarta, Banten and West Java agreed to share responsibility for preventing floods in the capital. Along with the ministry, the administrations have formulated steps they will take over the next three years to deal with flooding.
They told House of Representatives Commission V, which oversees public works, they will need around Rp 9.6 trillion (about US$1.04 billion) to complete the work, with Rp 6.4 trillion expected to come from the state budget.
Commission head Ahmad Muqowwam said lawmakers agreed with the funding request, but added there was no money in the current 2008 state budget for the program. He said money could only be allocated for the program if the budget was revised.
Planned flood mitigation efforts include the construction of the East Flood Canal and improvements to the West Flood Canal, the dredging of rivers, rehabilitation of lakes and dams and improvements to drainage systems.
However, the government has raised concerns about the availability of funding to complete the work.
"Of Rp 2.15 trillion (about US$233 million) needed for flood mitigation this year, only Rp 800 billion has been approved," minister Djoko said after the meeting.
He said problems in acquiring land remained the biggest obstacle to the construction of the East Flood Canal, with only 66 percent of the land needed for the work having been acquired as of Thursday. Given these problems, construction is not expected to finish before 2009.
As a result, according to Governor Fauzi, Jakartans should brace themselves for more floods in the coming years.
He told House members his administration also lacked funds to acquire land for the expansion of open green areas in the city and to relocate squatters from along riverbanks.
"I still have no idea how to reach the target of having the city be 30 percent green area. One percent equals to 650 hectares, or six times the size of Monas park. That's very costly," Fauzi said.
Unchecked development over the past decade has reduced the city's green area. Currently Jakarta, which covers a total of 650 square kilometers, is only around 9 percent green area, which has contributed to flooding.
Fauzi said flooding was worsened by the dumping of household waste into the city's rivers.
Development in Bogor and Cianjur, West Java, from which the rivers that run through Jakarta originate, has reduced water catchment areas, increasing the frequency and intensity of flooding in Jakarta.
West Java Deputy Governor Nu'man Abdul Hakim said illegal logging and forest conversion had damaged much of the province's forests, reducing their ability to retain water.
He said reforestation efforts would help reduce flooding, but the province lacked the money for such work.
During the meeting, some legislators criticized the government for being too "slow" to anticipate and prevent floods.
They also urged the government to speed up the construction of the East Flood Canal, act against people living illegally on the banks of rivers and check the construction of villas in Puncak, West Java, the upstream watershed to Jakarta. (wda)