Fauzi blames flooding on litterbugs

JAKARTA: Governor Fauzi Bowo says that residents who litter are to blame for flooding in the capital.

Fauzi said that the city’s rivers, including the Ciliwung, were clogged with garbage thrown away by residents, which caused the rivers to overflow during heavy rain.

“If you don’t believe me, go and have a look at the Manggarai sluice gate. It’s like a supermarket there, you can find items from toothbrushes to spring beds,” Fauzi said as quoted by kompas.com.

Fauzi said that intensive campaigning was needed to change the dirty habit.

Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto concurred with Fauzi, saying that the persistent habit of littering had produced a large quantity of garbage that clogged sewers and sluice gates.

“In places where there’s inundation, we found that the drainage system was clogged by garbage,” Djoko said.