So, When Is The River Normalization Going To Be Done? Deputy Governor Riza Patria: It Can't Be Rushed

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, admitted that efforts to acquire land in order to carry out the river normalization program are not easy.

Especially, land acquisition in settlements along the Ciliwung River. He said, there was an ongoing legal process.

"This will continue to be managed through the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) and the court. We will wait. We are a state of law. Everything cannot be rushed, it cannot be forced because it must comply with the rules of the law and regulations", said Deputy Governor Riza at City Hall, Monday, March 15 evening.

In the case of land acquisition on the banks of Ciliwung, Riza said there were a number of problems, ranging from administration, negotiating the price of land to be purchased by the DKI Provincial Government, to disputes over land ownership.

"In Jakarta, one of the difficult problems is land disputes, land conflicts, correspondence, and so on", said Riza.

"Even though the flood problem is an important issue that we must solve together, all processes must go through a good legal process", he continued.

Previously, Riza emphasized that the river normalization program will run this year. Normalization is one of the DKI Jakarta flood control programs.

"Every year, the road program. Road normalization. In fact, we have budgeted no less than IDR 851 billion", said Riza.

However, Riza was reluctant to reveal which area the land would be acquired for. Riza said that the Water Resources Agency still regulates the process of measuring land up to negotiating land payments.

Then, the chairman of the PDIP Party faction of the DKI Jakarta Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) asked Deputy Governor Riza to prove his statement. "The Deputy Governor said he wanted to continue the normalization of the river. I think the people need action, need execution, not a statement. That's all", said Gembong.

In carrying out the river normalization program, the DKI Provincial Government is tasked with acquiring residential land located along the river. Meanwhile, the normalization construction is being carried out by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR).

DKI claims to have acquired 7.6 kilometers of land along the Ciliwung River for normalization. This land acquisition is the result of the work of the DKI Provincial Government in the 2019-2020 period.

According to Gembong, if there have been land acquisition efforts, DKI must immediately coordinate with the PUPR Ministry to execute river normalization in order to control the impact of flooding.