Jakarta Has Routinely Worked on Rehabilitation of Flood Control Infrastructure

The Jakarta administration has emphasized that so far they have been and will continue to carry out capacity building, dredging, and strengthening of river or sheet piles as a strategic program since 2017 for flood prevention.

Everything is done regularly

Dudi Gardesi, Secretary of Jakarta Water Resources (SDA) Agency said that river capacity improvement continues to be carried out, including dredging river, strengthening sheet pile, building pump house, and Gerebek Lumpur (mud cleanup) to minimize flooding in Jakarta.  

He went on to say that the problem of flooding in Jakarta and its surrounding areas needs to be handled and worked out strategically and in collaboration with other parties, such as the central government, and the city/regency governments around Jakarta.

DRD: Polder Development is Needed to Overcome Floods

"Everything is done regularly," he expressed, Friday (2/18), as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

He cited that the agency has been dredging the Mampang River regularly every year, one of which is the dredging work in 2021 and continued since early 2022 using heavy equipment. Then is repairing sheet piles of Krukut River from 2018 to 2021.

"So, in fact, whether there is a lawsuit or not, so far Jakarta has worked on all the points that are the plaintiff's demands. Some are still in progress in the field and some are already being worked on. This is part of the ongoing program," he asserted.

The agency also opens the door for people who want to visit the construction site, especially the Mampang River thus they can witness firsthand what has been done and plans for the future. This is related to the disclosure of information and public education regarding program plans, both current and ongoing," he expressed.

RESPECTING THE DECISION OF PTUN

Efforts that have been and are being implemented in flood control are in response to the Jakarta PTUN's Decree number 205/G/TF/2021/PTUN.JKT dated February 15, 2022, granted 2 of the 6 lawsuits filed by seven residents on August 24, 2021.

In the decision, they only granted 2 of the 6 lawsuits filed. The lawsuits that were granted by the court were: First, it obliges the Jakarta administration to completely dredge the Mampang River to the Pondok Jaya area. Second, it requires the administration to process the construction of river sheet piles in Pela Mampang Urban Village.

Related to the lawsuit, Jakarta Legal Bureau Head, Yayan Yuhanah revealed that the administration respects the PTUN's decision which granted part of the lawsuits, namely 2 of the total 6 lawsuits.

"We respect them , where in fact the 2 lawsuits that have been granted have also been and are still being worked on by the administration. Even, the rejected lawsuits are actually in the process of being routinely worked on. The administration very appreciates the demands of the plaintiffs which are certainly carried out for the benefit and public interest, and of course, this is in line with the administration's commitment to building and rehabilitating flood control infrastructure," he expressed.

He represented the administration also appreciated the public's concern regarding the handling of urban problems. This is a form of collaboration between the community and the administration, such as areas around Jakarta and central government in overcoming the flooding," he closed.