When The River Is "Morah": The Minister Of Public Works Remembers The Dangers If Hulu Is Damaged And Sedimentated

Kick Off Clean And Healthy Movements With Rivers Held Along Jalan Inspeksi Ciliwung, Pancoran, South Jakarta, Friday morning, with DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works (PU) of the Republic of Indonesia, Dodi Hanggodo, invites the public to be more concerned about the condition and function of rivers in Indonesia.

He conveyed this invitation when opening the Kick Off of the Clean and Healthy Movement with the River which was held along Jalan Inspeksi Ciliwung, Pancoran, South Jakarta, Friday morning, together with DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung.

Dodi revealed that the government wants to strengthen public awareness that the condition of clean rivers has a direct effect on the safety of residents, especially facing the rainy season. Dodi emphasized that rivers are not just waterways, but people's living spaces.

"Clean and healthy activities with the river today may look simple, but it has a very large meaning. The river is not just a flow of water, but a living room for the community, a space for social interaction, and an environmental education room for future generations," said Dodi, Friday, November 21.

He emphasized that the selection of the Ciliwung River as the starting point of this activity is an important symbol to highlight river conditions in various regions.

"Kick-off is deliberately in the river because we really want to raise the theme of this river throughout Indonesia, so that we all nationally care more about our rivers," he said.

According to Dodi, the upstream and increasing sedimentation caused many rivers to no longer be able to withstand the water discharge during the rainy season. He described this condition as "a river of anger".

"If we don't pay attention to the river, we let the upstream we be destroyed, what comes down is sediment, what comes down is mud, so the river is angry. So when it rains, it floods everywhere," he said.

"In all places when the season that starts these 'going' months, everywhere is flooded, it's because our river has started to get angry. Because the water has no eyes, it has no ears, it must be channeled into the sea," he continued.

Continuing, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Pramono Anung, revealed the plan to continue the normalization of the Ciliwung River with the construction of the embankment starting next year. In addition, the DKI Provincial Government will also normalize Krukut River.

"In the future, we will continue to normalize the other 12 rivers in stages. Community collective awareness is a strong foundation for the sustainability of resilient cities," he said.

Not only that, the DKI Provincial Government plans to start the construction of the Dukuh Atas TOD area in early January 2026. The program will optimize the function of the Ciliwung River as a new public space for residents to carry out activities and relax.

"In early January, we will start building for TOD in Dukuh Atas as well as the Ciliwung River under which we will optimize, we will take advantage of it. Hopefully it can become a new hub for Jakarta residents to carry out activities or relax in the Ciliwung River," he explained.