S

ingapore is well-known with her rigorous administration managing people'€™s lives in the city state. But in 2010 Singapore was stricken by flood inundating the famous Orchard Road.

More recently, in December 2013, the United Kingdom saw a flood caused by high tide of the North Sea, which resulted in the loss of lives and more homeless, as did the Alberta flood in Canada in June 2013. These instances show us that nobody can fully control the flood waters.

Every Jakarta governor has the headache of the yearly flood caused by heavy rain during November to February. The public blames them for their incompetency. Here are some insights raised for fair and better judgment.

First, water flows from upstream to the downstream from high ground to low ground. This implies that to prevent flooding as much water as possible must be kept in the upstream. The solutions have been discussed and some have even been done, namely: keeping water in upstream (outside Jakarta) through reforestation and building dams and controlling water in the downstream through reservoirs and infiltration wells (in Jakarta).

Water management in the upstream will reduce water flow downstream. The Jakarta administration has signed the cooperation agreement with the State-Owned Enterprise Ministry to build four dams at Ciliwung upstream. Besides, the Jakarta administration has financed Bogor regency administration to demolish illegal villas in the upstream area to improve water catchment.

Reservoirs and infiltration wells will absorb water run-off into the ground rather than adding more burden to the drainage channels and rivers. Moreover this will preserve underground water. The Jakarta administration has shown us their incredible work through the rehabilitation of reservoirs.

Especially, the relocation of illegal squatters from the Pluit and Ria-Rio reservoirs. And recently, they have also constructed about 2,000 infiltration wells.

Second, some victims of flood live on the river bank. Technically, the river bank is part of the river. If someone lives on the riverbank, the right description of is that he lives '€œin'€ the river. Accordingly, no one or thing is to blame if flood waters inundate their houses. Another vertigo-inducing problem is the uncivilized culture of throwing trash in the river and the Jakarta administration spends billions of rupiah to excavate the garbage.

Again, this problem also has been well identified and there has been solution, since Fauzi Bowo'€™s stint. The residents of the Ciliwung riverbank will be moved to low-cost rental apartments, with Jokowi, as usual, executing the idea. Last year, he has commenced the development of the apartments that are scheduled to be completed by the middle of 2014.

All in all, the Jakarta administration has done well. However, the problem might only be mitigated, hardly eradicated. Man proposes, God disposes.

Third, we can'€™t fully control natural disasters in spite of any efforts made. Even the most advanced countries cannot. Sometimes the rain is so heavily that it overwhelms any control system. So disaster management must be well developed in the first place.

Erwin Wirawan
Tangerang, Banten