Disappointed With The Jakarta City Government, Residents In Duren Sawit Build A 50-centimeter Embankment To Prevent Floods

JAKARTA - In protest to the DKI City Government regarding the flood problem, residents of RW 10 Pondok Bambu, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, built a concrete embankment on Teluk Tomini A1 Street bordering RT 09 and RT 13. A jumbo-sized concrete embankment is a form of disappointment with the Provincial Government because the flood in this area has not been resolved.

Officer Alex, one of the local security officers, said that the embankment with a height of about 50 centimeters was built about two weeks ago to overcome the problem of flooding from overflowing connecting channels (Phb).

"To prevent the flood from overflowing here (RT 09). Every time it rains it floods, because water sent from other places runs here, because it is low," said Alex, quoted Thursday, January 13.

Alex added that the land contour of RT 09 is indeed lower than other areas around it, so when the water channel overflows, overflow flows into the settlements of the residents of RT 09.

He said that the construction of the embankment was carried out as a form of protest to the East Jakarta City Government over the flooding problem of the connecting channel in the residential area of RT 09.

However, local residents admit that the construction of the embankment violates the rules because it is on a neighborhood road, and does not solve the problem in the long term.

"If it's not like this, the water won't end. After all, there's no solution. Leave it like this, so that there's a solution so that people will be busy. This means that this wall was made so that there will be attention from above (officials)," said Alex.

He said the results of the embankment construction were considered effective, because on Wednesday, January 12, when heavy rains fell, only RT 09 residents' settlements were flooded with a height of about 10 centimeters.

In addition, the road is also installed with portals every day so that it cannot be passed by motorized vehicles and is only opened at certain times such as celebrations of religious days.

Meanwhile, the Village Head of Pondok Bambu Asianti, explained that his party had attempted to mediate with residents regarding the construction of a unilateral embankment on Teluk Tomini A1 Street.

He said that the settlement of the overflow of the connecting channel in the residential area is still under discussion by the East Jakarta Water Resources (SDA) Sub-Department.

"The village has coordinated with the SDA. Currently we are still waiting for the results from the Head of the SDA Sub-district of Duren Sawit," said Asianti.