TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dry season is starting bite some areas in Central Java, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
Head of Central Java BPBD Sarwa Pramana reported that 10 areas are experiencing in a water crisis since early July. There are currently 487 villages in Central Java experiencing drought.
Drought is expected to continue spreading as it is estimated to occur until November. Some areas experiencing drought includes Rembang, Blora, Grobogan, Pati, Wonogiri, Sukoharjo, Klaten, Boyolali, Banyumas, Cilacap, Purbalingga, Tegal, Pemalang, Purworejo, Jepara, Demak and Kebumen.
Department of Water and Mineral Resource Management Central Java say the northern coastal (Pantura) region experiencing drought includes Brebes, Tegal up to Palembang. Then from Demak tothe east.
Besides Pantura, drought is also occurring in the southern area of Surakarta including, Karanganyar, Sragen and Wonogiri. Head of Water Resource Department Prasetyo say drought is occurring because water supply is just at 50 percent from that required. For areas in Karanganyar, Wonogiri and Sragen, water supply is below 50 percent.
Data from the Resource Department showed there have been at least 5 out of 39 reservoirs in Central Java that experience drought. Those five reservoirs are Brambang, Blimbing and Botok that are all located in Sragen District. Then Gunungromo reservoir in Pati District and Sanggeh Reservoir in Grobogan District have also been reported to dry up.
Prasetyo also said some farm lands entering its harvest phase in Pati District are beginning to have difficulty obtaining water. The department then decided to flow water from Kedungombo Reservoir to areas in Pati, but it could not last long as water supples in Kedungombo is very limited.
300 hectares of active farm lands in Tegal have also experience in drought. Datas from the Agriculture, Plantation and Forestry Department mentioned hundreds of dried up paddy fields occurred in three subdistricts: Kramat, Suradadi and Warureja.
Although the region is experiencing drought, Central Governor Ganjar Pranowo is confident that his area has abundant rice stocks. “Its currently surplus. The problem is increasing production during drought,” Ganjar said Sunday, July 26.
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