Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) has said the scheduled evictions in the Bukit Duri area, South Jakarta, can no longer be postponed because many residents have already relocated.

"The evictions in Bukit Duri can no longer be postponed. This is necessary for the normalization of Ciliwung River. Moreover, many residents have already relocated," Ahok commented here, Wednesday.

Most of the Bukit Duri residents have already been relocated to Rawa Bebek apartments in Cakung, East Jakarta.

"The residents were relocated to Rawa Bebek apartments. So the eviction can be carried out today. We also do not want to wait any longer," the governor said.

Besides this, the evictions cannot be delayed because funds from the State budget are being used for the normalization of Ciliwung River, he remarked.

The work has to be accelerated because the project is scheduled for completion in December 2016 as the monsoon season is predicted to peak at that time until January 2017, according to Ahok.

The project is necessary to tackle flooding, the governor noted.

A total of 363 houses have been destroyed during the eviction process.

Ahok said he would not provide compensation to those affected by the evictions because the land belongs to the state and the residents were given accommodation in Rawa Bebek apartments along with other facilities such as free transportation on TransJakarta for them and their children attending school.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016