Replying To LBH's Red Report On Floods, Anies' Subordinates Claim That The Handling Of Floods Is Now Faster Than Before

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan (Photo: Instagram @aniesbaswedan)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Provincial Secretary Government Assistant Sigit WIjatmoko responded to criticism from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) regarding flooding which was one of the notes in the red report card for the four years of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan's leadership.

LBH criticized Jakarta's flood management for not being rooted in the flood problem. However, Anies's subordinates claim that strategic steps have been taken to control flooding. In fact, Sigit said the current handling is faster than before.

"The handling of floods in DKI Jakarta is currently much faster than in previous years," said Sigit in his statement, Monday, October 25.

Sigit gave an example of a flood case that was highlighted by LBH, namely on February 20, 2021. At that time, no less than 49 Rukun Tetangga (RT) were submerged, 1,722 residents evacuated, and 5 people died and also soaked elite areas such as in Kemang, South Jakarta.

Sigit replied, such flooding could occur because of the very high rainfall, which is 226 millimeters per day. Unfortunately, the drainage system in Jakarta is only able to accommodate 100 millimeters of rain per day.

However, Sigit claimed that the flood control carried out by the DKI Provincial Government was still faster than the floods in previous years.

"Compared to the impact of floods in previous years with the same rainfall, the flood was successfully handled quickly, so that residents could immediately return to their activities the day after," he explained.

In addition, LBH also criticized the steps taken by Anies and his staff in responding to flood management, which seemed to still focus on the river overflow factor due to shipments from upstream, namely by means of concrete.

In fact, according to LBH, flooding can also occur due to local rain floods, tidal flooding, flooding due to infrastructure failure, and combined flooding.

However, this criticism was again denied by Sigit. "In flood control, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has carried out various programs that are not oriented to concreteization," said Sigit.

Other flood management programs, explained Sigit, such as the Mud Gerebek program by intensifying dredging in ditches, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, then making tidal waves, repairing waterways, intensifying the installation of infiltration wells or vertical drainage, implementing Blue and Green, namely parks that become temporary water storage areas during high rainfall intensity, provision of rain gauges, and repair of pumps.