As known, the rain that poured Jakarta all day yesterday, Wednesday (1/8), was making inundations everywhere. Though Jakarta Provincial Government has tried to normalize dams, rivers, and water channels, as well as conducted other flood-handling programs, the efforts seem have not given significant effect.
Responding this matter, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) admitted that flood-handling efforts in the capital city are still not optimal. However, the normalization work done is proven able to speed up water flow, thus inundations receded in faster time.
“We’ve dredged (the dams, rivers, and water channels), but not all finish yet. But if we saw the rain yesterday, the rivers can accommodate the (rain) water, so does Pluit Dam,” stated Jokowi at City Hall, Thursday (1/9).
In order to reduce inundations, Jokowi continued, Jakarta Provincial Government must make two million absorption wells. This is because the amount of absorption wells currently is only around 1,900. “We need two million absorption wells. The existing is only 1,900, far from target,” he told.
Moreover, the dredging of rivers still needs to be accelerated. From 884 small rivers, the dredging done is carried out in 160 locations only. Therefore, Jokowi asks for Jakartans to be patient, because flood-handling efforts are continuously conducted by Jakarta Provincial Government.
According to Jokowi, flood-handling efforts are also not yet optimal because they are related to problems happened in flood-handling efforts in upstream regions like Bogor and surrounding areas. Such a thing becomes a problem because it involves local governments as well as central government.
“The ones in upstream regions haven’t done yet (rivers dredging). Everything must be done. This is an integrated work. There are central government and others. If the society doesn’t take part, the condition will still be the same, flood will still happen,” he finished.
