Flood Control Threatened? 32 Situ In Bekasi And Bogor Reportedly Disappeared

JAKARTA - Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Nusron Wahid said that his party had received reports that 32 lakes or small lakes in the Bekasi to Bogor areas, West Java, had disappeared.

Nusron said that the report regarding the disappearance of 32 points was received by the Ministry of ATR/BPN after receiving information from the Ministry of Public Works (PU) in a coordination meeting on land and flood control some time ago.

"Reports from yesterday's Public Works there were 32 there in West Java, the missing 'wetan' or east of Jakarta," Nusron said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, March 20.

It is known that it can function as a temporary reservoir of excess rainwater and help reduce the potential for flooding in an area.

However, Nusron admitted that he did not know in detail the cause of the disappearance of the dozens of them because they had not checked one by one.

"Not yet, I haven't checked one by one. Later, if I check it, I will be with PU," he said.

The Ministry of ATR/BPN has not received complete data regarding the exact cause of the disappearance of the small lake, because the report received is only general information without details.

"It has not been checked, because yesterday the topic (coordination meeting for land and flood control) talked about the river and it was worth the river. But it spreads, we are not ready for the data. I have told Bekasi friends, Bogor to check," explained Nusron.

As the new ATR Minister in office, Nusron admitted that he did not fully know the location and changes that occurred in those missing.

Even so, Nusron admitted that he would immediately learn more about the situation and condition of the land that had previously become a lost area.

He will find out what happened to the land, whether it has turned into another area and what causes it.

"Because there was no one there, where used to be. I'm also new here (as Minister of ATR). Later I will ask where it is first, what is it now. Later I will study it one by one," explained Nusron.

In addition, Nusron said that in the near future, his party will also hold a meeting with Banten Governor Andra Soni in order to check.

"Later, I will have a meeting with the Governor of Banten. I want to calculate how many more Banten are there. Now, we will only see the details one by one," added Nusron.

Previously, the Ministry of Public Works together with the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (ATR)/Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) and the West Java Provincial Government (Pemprov) continued to finalize plans for flood control in the Jabodetabek area.

The coordination meeting (rakor) was held by Deputy Minister of Public Works Diana Kusumastuti with the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (ATR)/Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) Nusron Wahid and West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi on Monday (17/3) in Jakarta, discussing land acquisition efforts for flood control infrastructure in the West Java region.