6 Hours Flood In Jakarta, Ahok: Normalization Of Watersheds, Buildings Surrounding Situations Subject To Demolition

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama aka Ahok (Photo: Instagram @basukibtp)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is in the spotlight due to flooding that occurred in several areas in the capital, such as the Kemang area, South Jakarta on Saturday, February 20. This happened after heavy rain fell on Jakarta since Friday, February 19.

Knowing that many areas were affected by flooding, Anies then held a coordination meeting at Manggarai Water Gate, South Jakarta regarding the Jakarta flood today. After reviewing the water level from his staff's report, Anies said that the flooding in the capital city, especially in East Jakarta and South Jakarta today was caused by extreme weather and high rainfall.

He explained that the rainfall in Pasar Minggu reaches 226 mm per day, in Sunter Hulu 197 mm, at Halim Perdanakusuma it reaches 176 mm, Lebak bulus 154 mm.

"All numbers above 150 are extreme conditions. In the division of the scale, there is heavy rain up to 100 mm, then, 100 mm-150 mm is very heavy and above 150 mm is extreme rain," said Anies at Pintu Air Manggarai, Central Jakarta, Saturday, February 20.

Unfortunately, said Anies, the drainage system in DKI is built with a rainfall capacity of between 50 and 100 millimeters per day. Drainage in the area is unable to accommodate water with high rainfall, resulting in water overflows to settlements.

"The capacity of the drainage system in Jakarta ranges from 50 to 100 mm. If it rains above 100 mm per day, then inundation will definitely occur because the capacity is limited to 100 mm," he said.

He also explained the reasons why floods were high and occurred in many places, which could last more than six hours or exceeded the target he had previously stated. According to Anies, the inundation with varying heights was unable to recede quickly, not only due to the high intensity of local rain, but also water delivery from the upstream area.

"That's right. So we took 6 hours after the water receded in the river, returned to normal, or 6 hours after the rain stopped. Well, what happened was the rain stopped, but the flow from upstream was still going on. So, that's where it became a separate obstacle," said Anies. at Pintu Air Manggarai, South Jakarta, Saturday, January 20.

Therefore, Anies said that the ranks of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government must work extra hard to deal with inundation that occurs due to local rain, as well as water shipments coming through the river.

"The water sent from the upstream area, namely Bogor, and the central area, the Depok area, is now on its way to Jakarta. Well, on the way to Jakarta, it will certainly have an impact on the surrounding areas," he said.

The flood, which then made thousands of residents evacuate and never subsided within six hours, was then responded by former DKI Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama alias Ahok. He suggested, all parties move extra and fast.

Not only the provincial government, said Ahok, the central government through the Ciliwung Cisadane River Basin or BBWSCC, namely the PUPR Ministry must immediately normalize the river. Meanwhile, DKI Jakarta, emphasized Ahok, must improve its watersheds or DAS.

"The name is normalization of watersheds (DAS). If you want to return to the original form of the DAS (the maximum waterway), all the buildings that have to be in the watershed area will be demolished," Ahok told VOI.

This is the basis for him often to control buildings in the river basin while he was still the seat of Governor of DKI Jakarta.

"We were forced to demolish, let alone houses without permission and occupy the DAS," he said.

He also has a way out for the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to carry out this program. One of them is by providing flats. "Just provide a lot of affordable flats. Owned for life, the right to live and pay is cheap," he said.

The commissioner of PT Pertamina said that this method was more effective than asking people with an uncertain salary to buy a house with a down payment of 0 percent.

"People are told to buy (with) UMP salaries, let alone an uncertain salary. Which one can afford to buy a 0 percent house? Many houses are empty of selling 0 percent interest, let alone 0 percent DP. Where can the UMP salary be the main installments," he explained.

If all this is done well, he is sure that there will be no more flooding in Jakarta. The point is, Ahok said, just follow the existing program.

Moreover, this program is not Joko Widodo or Ahok's program. The program, he said, has even existed since Fauzi Bowo's time as Governor of DKI Jakarta and since Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) became president.

"Jakarta is different from the regions. Candidates for regional heads have to think about the programs. Because generally there is no study yet. In DKI everything is complete. We just have to be brave or not run the existing programs and if there is no change in the study of the existing programs. "Just do it. Everything is done to clean up transportation, flooding and administering social justice. It's not a matter of being popular or not. It's a matter of carrying out duties in accordance with the oath of office and professional or not while in office," said Ahok.