Abrasion Of The Batang Mangau River Threatens Residents In 3 Hamlets Of Kota Pariaman, Including Damage To Houses And Plantations

Illustration. Abrasion in the coastal area of South Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi in June 2022 (Antara)

SUMBAR - Abrasion caused by the current of the Batang Mangau River threatens the homes and plantations of residents in three hamlets in the Punggu Lading Village area, South Pariaman District, Pariaman City, West Sumatra (West Sumatra).

Head of Punggu Lading Village, Aulia Mardhi Arif, said the three hamlets referred to are Parik, Pampan and Punggu Lading.

"This river abrasion has occurred since the last five years, the condition is getting worse every year. This incident has been reported to the Pariaman City Government to be forwarded to the central government," said Aulia in Pariaman, Wednesday, July 20.

Aulia explained that the abrasion in Punggu Lading Hamlet has been handled by residents by working together to normalize the river. Although, he said, it was not optimal.

Specifically, the abrasion in Parik Hamlet, he continued, had at least eroded about 200 meters of plantation land owned by residents which if left unchecked would have an impact on houses and village government offices.

This includes, he said, the road that connects Pariaman with Padang Sago District, Padang Pariaman Regency. He conveyed that the river abrasion in Parik Hamlet had been reviewed by related parties in 2018 but according to him until now the handling has not been realized due to the COVID-19 pandemic. deal with the abrasion because it involves the assets of the community and the government in the area.

A farmer affected by abrasion Buyung (64) said that at least eight of his coconut trees had been affected by the abrasion. He was worried that if the abrasion continued and there was no treatment from the government, all of his land, which is his family's main economic source, would be exhausted. In handling this abrasion, I heard that the village government has reported this," he said. As a result of the abrasion in Parik Hamlet, a cliff with a height of tens of meters has formed which the soil will slide when it rains and hit by water especially when the discharge increases. Meanwhile, the Head of the Emergency Division and Logistics BPBD Pariaman City, Jasman Amin said, Batang Mangau is a stream that is a potential river abrasion in the area.