Baru Menjabat, Wali Kota Semarang Highlights Flood Prevention At Hulu Sungai Mluweh

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo inaugurated Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu as Mayor of Semarang today, Monday, January 30. (Ist)

JATENG - Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu has just been inaugurated as Mayor of Semarang. The remaining regional head for the 2021-2026 term highlighted reforestation in the upstream area, especially the Mluweh River to prevent flooding.

The Mluweh River, which is located in the Semarang Regency area, is the upstream of the Babon River which often overflows and inundates settlements in Semarang, one of which is Dinar Indah Housing.

"The Mluweh River, which is the parent of the Babon River, has high rain from upstream when it was 150 cm, but in Pucang Gading it was 100 cm," said Ita, Hevearita's nickname, while visiting the Mluweh River, Semarang Regency, Wednesday, February 1, was confiscated by Antara.

"It has made the sheets (water reaches the riverbanks, ed.) but because Dinar Indah is still embanking temporarily, there are still those who rembes that cause Dinar Indah to pool," explained Ita.

Dinar Indah Semarang's housing was hit by flash floods in early January due to the breakdown of a river embankment adjacent to residential areas, and one victim died.

The flash flood was the worst, and the umpteenth time it hit the housing. The water level when the flash flood in early January had reached the roof of a resident's house.

According to Ita, the plan to handle flooding upstream is the thing to do most at this time considering that the handling of flooding downstream has been carried out, such as optimizing pump houses, building sea embankments, and installing sheet piles.

Coordination has also been carried out with the Regent of Semarang regarding the plan to handle flooding upstream because this is not enough only to be done at the Semarang-Ungaran border, but also in the Semarang Regency area.

"Yesterday we also communicated with the Director General of Natural Resources and the Head of the Center (BBWS), we conveyed how the handling was upstream. For big projects, we are waiting for the BBWS policy," he said.

"But for immediate treatment, we plan to reforestation because near the border there is a warped ground and Perhutani to plant plants that can withstand water erosion and withstand erosion. Second, we will dredge the sediments in the Semarang City river," continued Ita.

Meanwhile, Semarang City Regional Secretary Iswar Aminuddin added that the Semarang City Government would propose the construction of a groundsill in the Mluweh River to reduce the amount of energy of river currents so as to minimize its kinetic power.

Groundsill or its own threshold is a building that is established transversely in the middle of the river. In addition to aiming to reduce river flow, groundsill also prevents the bottom of the river from experiencing excessive decline.

"We have proposed to the provincial government and the central government because this river is cross-regional, how is the energy of this river divided. Do not let the baplas go directly down because the energy (current) is very strong and the damage is high," he said.