TEMPO.CO, Bogor – The Environmental Care Forum, an NGO, said the Bogor administration had failed to rid the Puncak area of illegal buildings—a measure deemed crucial to help Jakarta combat its annual flooding problem. Jakarta has donated Rp12.5 billion to the Bogor administration for the crackdown.
“So the issue is not about the budget, but more likely caused by the readiness of its officials,” forum coordinator Akhdor Didi said on Thursday, November 13, 2014.
According to Didi, the crackdown against illegal buildings in Puncak was necessary for the revitalization of water catchment areas around the Ciliwung River headwaters—which was the reason why the Jakarta administration the decided to furnish the grant.
Bogor’s chief of Regional Planning board Syarifah Sopiah said the Bogor administration could not yet liquidate the funds from Jakarta due to insufficient time. “The approval for the budget came late,” she said. “The time was not sufficient, so we will propose to do it in 2015.”
Bogor Environmental Office (BLH) chief Rony Sukmana said his office was late in proposing flood mitigation programs, whose funds stemming from the Jakarta administration. He explained that the implementation of the programs should be carried out through an auction mechanism.
ARIHTA U. SURBAKTI
