Jakarta Post, Bogor – The Bogor and Jakarta administration will demolish 93 illegal villas in the Puncak area as part of plans to mitigate flooding in the capital, with Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo saying on Tuesday that the city would be budgeting Rp 5 billion ($410,000) toward the program.

“The issue is clear, as are the solutions and the direction of this [program],” he said on Tuesday in Puncak.

“The Jakarta administration will be involved with the funding, assisted by the Bogor administration, which will be responsible for its implementation.

“As for the social impact that the demolition will have, of course the Bogor district chief [Rachmat Yasin] has also thought of a solution because that is within his jurisdiction.”

Rachmat confirmed the government would be demolishing 93 villas, belonging to 31 individuals, within the month of February alone.

“Ninety-three of the 400 [illegal] buildings that have been identified [will be demolished] and the owners of those villas are not Bogor residents,” he said.

“Don’t worry about the money, because Joko Widodo is ready to disburse funds.

Meanwhile, the demolition itself will take place when the weather at the sites allows, perhaps by mid-February”

Rachmat said he would ensure individuals whose jobs were linked to the demolished villas would get proper jobs outside designated water catchment areas.

“Villa guards will definitely lose their jobs, [but] the administration has already prepared jobs for them. They will be allowed to work as farmers and do other
sorts of labor,” he said.

During a tree-planting event in Puncak, the upstream area that feeds the rivers passing through Jakarta, Joko said it was important to restore the water catchment function of upstream areas in order to minimize flooding downstream

“The issue of flooding [should be reviewed] from one end to another. The Ciliwung River starts in Bogor and it is necessary that this area is restored into a catchment area through an act of reforestation,” he said.

He also added the Jakarta and Bogor administrations, state-owned forestry company Perhutani and local communities were aware of the issues faced.

“Everyone are in understanding of the issues and their solutions. There is no need to make more plans, all that’s left to do is cooperate and implement [the plans],” Joko said.

Jurnalis : Vento Saudale
Jakarta Globe | 05 Februari 2014 | Hal. 3