The water channel located right in front of Cipinang Rice Market, Jalan Pasar Induk Beras Cipinang, Pisangan Timur Urban Village, Pulogadung Sub-District, East Jakarta, is no longer functioning. Besides clogged with trashes, it is also covered with sand and rocks as well as illegal buildings stood atop it.

We will control all of those building materials and illegal buildings stood atop the water channel

There are about 50 illegal buildings covering the water channel, from squat houses (bedeng), kiosks, welding workshop, until used goods storage. Most of the building owners are scavengers, janitors, and truck drivers in the market.

Edi (50), one of squat house owners, disclosed has been lived there since eight months ago. He uses his 2x3-meter squat house as a place to rest after working as rice carrier truck driver in Cipinang Rice Market.

“I’m here just to take a rest. If I delivered goods to Tangerang, I go home to my house in Balaraja,” he told, Friday (8/29).

Meanwhile, Husen (50), owner of sand base, admitted that he intentionally put his merchandise around the water channel to ease sand loading and unloading activities.

“Yes, indeed the water channel is not functioning because there are many materials put on the edge of the water channel,” he said.

Responding on this matter, Head of Water Resources Facilities and Infrastructures Section for East Jakarta Water Management Public Works Sub-Department, Supriyatno, explained that in 2013 the area had been controlled. But now, illegal buildings are rampant again.

He also promised to remove all building materials and demolish those buildings. But before holding the operation, his party will socialize it first to the building owners. If they neglected it, demolition warrant (SPB) will be sent to them and their buildings will be demolished forcibly.

“We will control all of those building materials and illegal buildings stood atop the water channel. We will coordinate with Cipinang Rice Market management as well as local urban village and RW officials. We hope they (illegal building owners) would immediately clean (demolish) the buildings themselves. Or else, we’ll do it forcibly,” he stated.

According to Supriyatno, the demolition will be conducted around next week and backhoe will be deployed. And afterwards, the water channel will be normalized.