S

edimentation in the eight major rivers in Central Java has been blamed for the recent heavy floods across the province, a government official said Friday, adding that normalization of the rivers was needed to prevent floods recurring in future.

The eight rivers that need to be normalized are Serayu and Citanduy in Banyumas and Cilacap regencies; Comal and Pamali in Pemalang; Serang, Lusi and Juana in western Central Java, and the Bengawan Solo River in Surakarta.

"This is not an easy task, especially with regard to the huge funding needed to realize it," Suryono Suripto , head of the Central Java Water Resources Management Agency, said Friday in Purwokerto.

Speaking at a forum on the 2009 state and provincial budget for infrastructure development activities, Suryono said the total funds needed could reach up to Rp 700 billion (US$63.6 million).

He added the government would have to seek foreign donors, otherwise it would be very difficult to carry out the project.

"The state and provincial budget will not suffice to finance the normalization of the eight rivers."

Apart from sedimentation, the narrowing of rivers is also of major concern to the provincial administration.

In Surakarta, Ruhban Ruzziyatno, head of the agency's operations and maintenance section for the Bengawan Solo River region, said preventing floods in areas along the legendary river would be very difficult.

The river bursts its banks every rainy season in a number of regions, including Sukoharjo, Surakarta and Sragen in Central Java, and Ngawi, Blora, Tuban and Gresik in East Java.

To date, he said, his office used wire baskets filled with stones to prevent damage caused by floodwaters.

"We can't normalize the river because it costs so much."

Ruhban said a Rp 350 billion project had been proposed from the state budget to begin the normalization process.