It is not an easy job, but if we do it (the mitigation attempt) consistently, we can keep reducing it (flooding), until it (flooding) finally stops.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has directed the provincial government of Jakarta to make consistent efforts to mitigate floods in the province by expediting the normalization of rivers and the construction of a giant sea wall.

He emphasized here on Tuesday that a number of regions in the province are still experiencing coastal flooding often as the giant sea wall has not been completed yet.

“It is not an easy job, but if we do it (the mitigation attempt) consistently, we can keep reducing it (flooding), until it (flooding) finally stops," he said after reviewing the Ciliwung River Floodway development project.

The construction of the Ciliwung River Floodway, which is targeted to become operational in April 2023, is aimed at reducing inundation and flooding in Jakarta, he added.

The infrastructure, whose completion has been delayed for six years, could help reduce water discharge by up to 63 cubic meters per second when water levels in Jakarta reach Alert I status.

Apart from completing the Ciliwung River Floodway project, the normalization of 12 rivers in Jakarta must also continue to be carried out to optimize flood mitigation.

"When it (the floodway) is finished, all that remains is to ready the pumps at the rivers (to channel the floods from residential areas), as well as to normalize the Ciliwung River and 12 other existing rivers, (including) Pesanggrahan, Angke, Cipinang, and others," Jokowi said.

Furthermore, he ordered the provincial government to complete the construction of the regular sea walls and the giant sea wall to reduce coastal flooding in the northern coastal area of Jakarta.

Acting Governor of Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono, who accompanied the head of state during his review of the Ciliwung River Floodway, said that the project for the giant sea wall’s construction is still in the planning stage.

"We have also coordinated with the Bappenas (National Development Planning Agency) and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry," he added.

The development plan for the giant sea wall has undergone a number of changes during discussions held from 2007 until 2020.

The acting governor is targeting to get the development plan for the giant sea wall finalized by Bappenas and Jakarta Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) in the next three months.

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Translator: Mentari Gayati, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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