Chairman of the PDIP faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Gembong Warsono, is not surprised by the process of land acquisition for the normalization of the Ciliwung River during the leadership of Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono.
It only took a few months since taking office, Heru resumed land acquisition on the banks of Ciliwung. Unlike the land acquisition during Anies Baswedan's tenure as Governor of DKI which took years.
"I appreciate the steps taken by the Acting to be able to continue the normalization that has been stagnant. Actually, this is only a matter of will," said Gembong when contacted, Tuesday, February 21.
According to Gembong, while serving as Governor of DKI, Anies did not prioritize the work of the DKI Provincial Government to continue river normalization. Since Anies took office in 2017, land acquisition has only been budgeted for in 2021.
In fact, river normalization is one of the national strategic projects. In the aftermath, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) must wait a long time to execute the construction of embankments on the riverbank that are normalized.
Meanwhile, continued Gembong, Anies prioritized the infiltration well construction program as an effort to control the impact of flooding. Where, the DPRD had stopped the allocation of the infiltration well budget because it was considered not optimal in reducing the impact of flooding.
The rest, the DKI Provincial Government in the Anies era only worked on regular activities such as dredging mud and suction of inundation during the flood.
"Why was Ciliwung not executed for five years, it's clear because it was not his priority program. At that time his priority was not to throw water into the sea, but the water from above was put into the stomach (infiltration well)," said Gembong.
"Then, why is Mr. Heru now able to carry out the execution? Yes, because it is a priority, Mr. Heru can alleviate the flood problem. Mr. Heru sees that it is necessary to continue the normalization that has been stagnant. So, he is really focused on being able to continue the execution for the river normalization program," he continued.
Today, President Joko Widodo is reviewing the development of the Ciliwung normalization project in Pengadegan, South Jakarta. Jokowi targets the normalization of the Ciliwung River to be completed by 2024.
To date, normalization has been carried out for 16 kilometers out of a total of 33 kilometers. Jokowi is optimistic that the remaining 17 kilometers of normalization work.
"We hope that I will give the target earlier, in two years. This means that by the end of 2024 (the work is completed) which is 17 kilos, God willing, it will be completed. So, the normalization of the Ciliwung River is really complete," said Jokowi.
Jokowi said that Ciliwung's normalization had stalled for several years. Ciliwung normalization was continued during the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono.
When he began to take office replacing Anies Baswedan, Heru immediately planned land acquisition for a number of fields in Rawajati, South Jakarta. Then, the normalization construction work was continued by the Ministry of PUPR.
"After stopping for a while, we will start immediately. Because there are already several points that have been released, for example in Rawajati, the construction can immediately begin, the sheetpile is by the Ministry of Public Works," said Jokowi.
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