One of the ways done by East Jakarta Administration to minimize flooding in the municipality is dredging the Pulogadung connecting channel (PHB) towards Sunter. The PHB that connects Petukangan River in Rawa Terate, Cakung, has been dredged since Saturday (1/11). The work is done from bridge on Jalan Bekasi Raya until Sunter River, precisely behind PT Aneka Tambang office.

This channel has not been dredged for five years. That’s why sedimentation occurs and the channel does not functioning at all

“The channel is dredged for 200 meters long with 1 meter deep. The work is targeted to finish by the end of this month,” stated Head of Conservation Section for East Jakarta Water Management Public Works Sub-Department, Nursiwan, Saturday (1/11).

For information, the 12-meter wide PHB is dredged because its condition is unworthy anymore due to sedimentation. Moreover, the channel is also strewn with mud, grass and weeds that grow 50-80 centimeters, and trashes that came from a chicken slaughterhouse. As a result, the area becomes smelly and dirty.

According to Nursiwan, if the dredging PHB was not immediately dredged, it would trigger flood. All this time, Pulogadung Industrial Zone (KIP) and settlements in Rawa Terate are often inundated during rainy season with water level reaches 1-1.5 meters high. And Pulogadung PHB is one of the sources that triggers flood in that area.

“This channel has not been dredged for five years. That’s why sedimentation occurs and the channel does not functioning at all,” he uttered.