Dedi Mulyadi Sentil Jakarta Regarding Floods: Hulu Is Blamed, Even Though Hilir Never Wants To Improve

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi. (ANTARA/Rio Feisal)

JAKARTA - West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi dismissed allegations that the floods that submerged hundreds of RTs in Jakarta were water shipments from the Bogor area. According to him, the water flowing from the highlands to the lowlands is a natural process, and blaming Bogor for flooding in the capital city is a misleading perspective.

"There was no flooding from Bogor. The water flowed from the highlands to the lowlands. That's an aspect of the natural cycle," said Dedi when met after the Corruption Eradication Coordination Meeting held by the KPK with the governors, in the Ancol area, Thursday, July 10.

This statement came after DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, who previously said that flooding in a number of areas in Jakarta was triggered by a combination of extreme rainfall, sea tides, and water shipments from upstream.

Dedi admitted that the upstream area in the Bogor area did experience a lot of land conversion. However, he insinuated that the owners and development investors who changed the green open space in the upstream area actually came from Jakarta.

"If we want to be honest, where do the changes in land and spatial planning functions in Bogor come from?" said Dedi.

According to him, the ecological burden of Jakarta cannot be constantly thrown into the upstream area. He emphasized the importance of joint responsibility, including by the government and residents of Jakarta, to improve conditions downstream.

Dedi also mentioned that two giant dams "Ciawi and Sukamahi" have been operating to hold the flow of water from the upstream of the Ciliwung River. However, Jakarta is still flooded because the main problem is actually in the downstream area.

"As long as the river is still shallow, narrow, the swamps continue to be dredged, and the construction does not pay attention to water management, flooding will definitely continue to occur," he said sharply.

For the record, the two dams were built as national strategic projects (PSN) to control Jakarta floods and have been inaugurated at the end of 2023. However, its function will be maximized if the downstream is also repaired.

A few days ago, floods hit more than 100 RTs in Jakarta. In some locations, the water level reaches two meters and causes hundreds of residents to flee.

DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said that this flood was not only caused by high rainfall in Jakarta, but also high tides and water shipments from upstream.

The DKI Provincial Government said the triggering factors for flooding were high rainfall, sea waves, and water shipments from upstream areas such as Bogor.