Govt aims to restore 11 rivers ahead of rainy season

Adianto P. Simamora ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 11/16/2009 8:56 AM  |  National

The government has made it a top priority to restore eleven muddy and polluted rivers nationwide in anticipation of a water-related problems.

The plan was also aimed at preventing floods, because global warming has been predicted to increase and intensify rainfalls.

“The government will focus on upgrading water quality in the country’s polluted rivers so people can use river water for consumption and to irrigate their farmland,” said Antung Deddy, the assistant deputy minister for river and lake management at the State Ministry for the Environment.

The 11 polluted rivers are the Ciliwung in Jakarta, Citarum in West Java, Siak in Riau, Batang Hari in Jambi, Musi in Palembang, the Cisadane and Citanduy in Bogor, the Bengawan Solo in East Java and the Barito in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Currently, water in the country’s biggest rivers could not be used for consumption because pollution levels far exceeded tolerable limits set by the government.

Data from the ministry shows that water in the rivers was categorized as heavily polluted because of massive levels of chemical waste from industry, households and agriculture.

Antung said the government would also work to manage water flowing into rivers by greening forests in catchment areas.

“The ministry will restore forests in river catchment areas to help manage water supplies and reduce sedimentation,” he said.

“The government will also monitor water flows to prevent floods.”

Antung declined to elaborate on the total budget allocated to restore the 11 rivers, saying Yudhoyono had ordered many sectors to meet the target within five years.

The State Ministry for the Environment has been tasked to manage rivers as water sources for households and farmland, to help improve public health and improve rice production over the next five years.

Indonesia has about 7,000 rivers stretching at least 94,000 kilometers, but they have yet to be well utilized to support agriculture and public transportation in many remote areas.

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