"This visit is one part of the Fragrant Citarum Program. From the reports I received, the level of cleanliness of the Citarum River, including flood suppression, has reached 80 percent. Only 20 percent remains," the minister said while reviewing the program in Bojongsoang Sub-district, Bandung District, on Tuesday.
Fragrant Citarum is a program conducted by the government to manage waste around Citarum River. It is part of efforts to sanitize water sources as well as foster people's awareness about their environment.
The government will push this program to its completion to suppress the risk of flooding—one of the tangible benefits of the program.
Pandjaitan said the waste dumped into the Citarum River was completely cleaned at the Bojongsoang Waste Water Management Installation.
The government will build solar panels on 8.7 hectares of Cieunteung Retention Lake and 4.7 hectares of Lake Andir, he informed.
"From these two lakes, 100 MW of solar electricity can be produced, which can also be used to produce carbon credits worth US$10.4 million per MW (which) can also be used for electrical energy for nearby factories," he said.
Related news: Citarum water is safe for fish cultivation, irrigation: governor
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, who accompanied the minister to observe the program's progress in Bojongsoang district, said that it has been four years since the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 2018.
Waste water management installations offer benefits, not only for people of Bandung city, but also for residents living in the Bandung basin area, he said.
"Even though the assets belong to the city, the benefits are not only for Bandung city. This is the district's territory, so this location will be coordinated by the governor to benefit the five areas in Bandung Basin," he said.
The five areas in question are Bandung District, Bandung City, West Bandung District, Cimahi City, Garut District, and Sumedang District.
Related news: Indonesia-Japan Agree to cooperate in Citarum river conservation
Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
