TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Almost every year, many regions in the country are in the grip of drought; yet, the government always gives instant responses to it. There have been no serious and systematic measures to prevent, or at least to reduce the bad consequences of the long dry spell.
The disaster, what has raged for around two months, hit many people in many regions. Even regions close to the Capital such as Bogor Regency, is not spared by this annual disaster. The Bogor Regency government has put drought alert status in 62 villages scattered across 16 districts since September 1, 2014.
A similar situation can also be found in Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, and in the area as far as East Nusa Tenggara.
We must not take this disaster lightly because in those provinces, more than half of the population are experiencing water shortage. If we do not immediately address this disaster, there will be dire consequences, ranging from health problems until food shortage.
Both the central government and the regional governments should have helped easing the suffering of those affected by the drought.
In Bojonegoro, East Java, for example, the threat of crop failure and food shortage are looking as water level in Bengawan Solo river and in Pacal Reservoir have to continued to drop.
Under such condition, only few agricultural lands that can be irrigated. In normal condition, Pacal Dam is able to irrigate 12,000 hectares of agricultural lands.
Di Hoi village, Oenino district, Timor Tengah Selatan regency, East Nusa Tenggara, there are potential health problems. In this region, at least 283 households are forced to drink water from the puddle water of their livestocks as they have no clean water supply.
Such a disaster always happens every year; yet, there have been no serious efforts to address this problem in serious and fundamental ways.
What have been done so far is only limited to such measures as sending water tank trucks, distributing water jars, and building water reservoirs in a large size.
Only few regions have prepared long-term solutions.
East Java, for instance, is currently designing the installment of pipes and building artesian wells. However, this measure was initiated only during the second term of the administration of Governor Soekarwo.
The construction of artesian wells is indeed one of the alternative ways that should be done in many regions.
The digging of the wells should be done at least until 25 meters in order to reach underground water. Due to its position between water resistant layers deep underground, the water can still be used during dry season.
However, to implement this simple way, not many regions have been able to implement it.
Other environmentally friendly measures that have actually been formulated by the government include building or maintaining irrigation system, preserving the environment, and preserving water conservation areas.
However, all those efforts look good only on paper. Both the central government and regional governments seem to prefer to overcome drought just like when they face floods: responding to it instantly.
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