Predict Anies Who Is Not Serious About Reducing The Impact Of Flooding

Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan during his lecture (doc. Pemprov DKI)

JAKARTA - Floods inundate the capital again, every time heavy rain occurs. As a result, the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan had to go back and forth to a number of floodgates to check the water level, which was confirmed to cause flooding in a number of Jakarta areas.

There have been five floods that have inundated Jakarta since the beginning of 2020. When the floods hit, Anies's treatment pattern was similar. Starting from observing the floodgates, to checking the conditions of the affected residents.

Anies said, the efforts made by the DKI Provincial Government at this time were to concentrate on controlling residents affected by floods that had been strolling in Jakarta. Anies even asked permission from the public to cooperate cooperatively.

"If possible, let me work so that I can complete my focus on the citizens of Jakarta, ensuring that all residents can be evacuated to the evacuation center, have enough food, then health is guaranteed. God willing, they can return to their respective homes once they recede," said Anies, Tuesday , February 25th.

Anies actually understands that the floods don't stop there. This is because the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned that extreme weather and flooding throughout Indonesia will still continue until early March 2020. However, Anies's move to deal with this potential is only to ask residents to be vigilant.

"We urge all people to be vigilant. Then, we need a quick evacuation response," said Anies. "(The anticipation steps) just this. Enough. Now that's first. We hope that hopefully it will finish soon."

Anies' statement above drew criticism from urban planning observer, Nirwono Joga. As is known, the flood yesterday was caused by local rain and not a flood from upstream. That means, the overflow of river water shows the minimal handling done by Anies to reduce the impact of flooding.

"It appears that the governor of DKI has made no serious efforts to prevent flooding from early January until today's floods. There are no significant improvements to the river and no significant improvements to the city's waterways," said Nirwono.

In fact, said Nirwono, only 33 percent of water channels in Jakarta are functioning properly. The remaining 67 percent is clogged with garbage, sewage and mud. Also, many utility networks overlap in the waterways.

"All the waterways in the city of Jakarta and the surrounding areas must be rehabilitated, both in the width dimensions of the channels, the connection between the channels, and their maintenance," said Nirwono.

Puddle at Gondangdia Station (Detha Arya Tifada / VOI)

What has Anies done?

Based on the records of the DKI Jakarta Water Resources (SDA) Office, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has controlled the impact of flooding during his leadership. First, the naturalization of the river.

Head of SDA DKI, Juaini Yusuf, said that there are 5 rivers that have been naturalized by 2019. "First in Pondok Rangon, Cimanggis, Sunter, and two rivers in Kampung Rambutan," Juaini explained.

This year, there are three rivers that are targeted to be naturalized. Work on a river in the Brigif area, Pantai Indah Kapuk, began.

In addition, the construction of infiltration rivers with a target of 1.8 million biopore holes for 5 years, has begun to be undertaken in installments. This program is made in several regional work units (SKPD).

"If the SDA Service has built 1,000 infiltration wells in 2019. This year, it can be accelerated three times as much, namely 3,000. (The auction process) we have used the e-catalog, so we don't have to wait any longer," said Juaini.

Apart from the SDA Office, the Energy Agency and the Highways Office also have infiltration well construction programs. Not only that, people were also asked to make their own infiltration wells in their homes.

Furthermore, other flood control programs that are being planned include the construction of a river stream in the Ciliwung Lama River in Kampung Walang Ancol and the safety tangul of Kali Kamal Beach.

Meanwhile, there are other tasks that the DKI Provincial Government should carry out in the normalization project. DKI is in the process of acquiring a plot of land in Bidara Cina Village so that the central government can make a normalization of the flow of the Ciliwung River.

UPDATE TMA Wednesday, 26 February 2020 At 12.00 WIB. @ Aniesbaswedan @ DKIJakarta @ DinasSDAJakarta @ BPBDJakarta @ BeritaJakarta # TroopsBiru # Need to Know # JAKIhttps: //t.co/lpZuf5PHEj pic.twitter.com/UU2NA2assU

- DKI Jakarta Water Resources Agency (@DinasSDAJakarta) February 26, 2020

Urgent anticipation drive

All of the plans described earlier require a long process. In fact, in the rainy season, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government must find ways to reduce the impact of flooding so that the volume of water inundating settlements and roads is not too high.

The chairman of the DKI Jakarta Provincial DPRD, Prasetio Edi Marsudi, asked Anies to clear all the ropes and water channels so that they do not become clogged when it rains, during the long term process of flood control is in process.

This is because, said Prasetio, the cause of flooding in almost all areas of Jakarta is the poor function of ropes and water channels. That also caused the Menteng area in Central Jakarta, which in fact had never been affected, suddenly flooded on Sunday, February 23rd.

"In the future, the SDA Office must go to the field, dismantle all drains and water ropes, because there must be dirt. Drainage like this must be cleaned so that the water runs smoothly, ”said Prasetio.

Prasetio also emphasized the operation of the water suction pump. In total, DKI Pemprov has more than 400 mobile pumps. The pumps should have been alerted and their performance was confirmed before the rain hit.

“If the engine was ready I don't think the flood would be like this. You know more than 400, can't suck the floods in Jakarta, "he concluded.