Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As hundreds of thousands of Jakartans struggled with the cold and damp, officials on Saturday were quick to muster the culprits behind another year of severe flooding.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso placed the blame on villas in Puncak, West Java, while State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar insisted the floods were caused by excessive development in the city's water catchment areas.
Rachmat said that local authorities had been overzealous in issuing building permits for Jakarta's designated water catchment zones.
"Many ignore the (city) spatial plan, especially the authorities that hand out permits, even though they clearly violate environmental impact analyses," Rachmat said.
He said that large buildings in drainage areas in the capital had worsened the floods.
"There are too many shopping centers in the capital," he said.
Sutiyoso, however, chose to criticize the luxurious villas and residential complexes of Bogor, West Java.
"The floods in Jakarta are partly due to environmental damage in Bogor. The Puncak is a water catchment area but there are now many villas there, causing the downpour to run straight into the river," he said during an interview on MetroTV on Saturday.
Jakarta is fed by 13 rivers that have their origins in West Java.
Sutiyoso said the Bogor administration had sacrificed water catchment areas for economic reasons.
"Yes, they'll get the income from the villas to increase their local budget, but they aren't thinking of the impact it has on Jakarta."
Sutiyoso said that under his management, the Jakarta administration had done well to balance both interests.
"The practice of prioritizing income may occur in Jakarta, but I have managed it well since becoming governor," he said.
Jakarta has experienced a construction boom during his two terms as governor. Sutiyoso awarded dozens of permits to build high-rise shopping centers and apartments across the city.
Environmental activists have warned that the buildings would significantly reduce the city's green space, leading to repeated floods in the rainy season and water crises during the dry season.
Sutiyoso said that the city's high level of urbanization was a problem and had caused environmental destruction.
"Therefore, Jakarta can't resolve the flooding problem on its own. It must be addressed through the megacity plan," he said.
That plan will integrate Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Puncak and parts of Cianjur into an area to be known as Jabodetabekpunjur.
Sutiyoso suggested more lakes be built in the city, as they could be used as water catchment areas in the rainy season and reservoirs in the dry. The city currently has around 43 small lakes, but most are not maintained properly.
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