GOVERNMENT TO BUILD TWO DAMS TO CONTROL FLOODS IN JAKARTA

Water floods part of the National Museum on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, on Monday. (Photo: the Jakartapost)

Jakarta, 30 Muharram 1437/13 November 2015 (MINA)- The government will build two dams in West Java as part of its efforts to control floods in Jakarta, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono stated.

“The two dams called Sukamahi and Ciawi will be built in 2016,” the minister stated during a coordination meeting with stakeholders in Jakarta on Thursday.

Also present at the meeting were members of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of Jakarta province, including A.M. Fatwa, Fahira Idris, Dailami Firdaus, and Abdul Azis Khafia.

Chairman of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, Secretary of the Jakarta Provincial Government Saefullah, and Deputy Governor for Demographic Control and Resettlement Syahrul Effendi also attended the meeting.

The government is in the process of clearing land to build the dams, Basuki revealed.

Flooding is a problem that recurs every rainy season, he pointed out.

“The central government is striving to overcome floods in the capital by building dams in the upper reaches of the rivers, which flow into Jakarta,” he remarked.

If the dams are built in the upper reaches of the rivers, the flow of water can be diverted to the dams during the rainy season, and the water will not entirely flow into Jakarta, he explained.

The minister further stated that the government will also build low-cost flats in Pasar Minggu and Pasar Rumput, South Jakarta, to meet the demands of the people belonging to the low-income group, he added.(T/R04/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)