New Capital City Least Prone to Natural Disaster, Minister Says
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3 January 2020 23:33 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono ensured that the location of the new capital city in Sepaku District, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan Province is not susceptible to natural disasters such as floods and forest fires.
"Based on its paleohydrology, from the history of its hydrology, there is no [threat of flooding]. The location also has the lowest potential of disasters. But flood may hit due to environmental changes," said Basuki at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment office in Jakarta on Friday, January 3, 2020.
According to Basuki, the government will design the new capital city by calculating the population and the land. The total population number is predicted to be around 2.75 million people.
Furthermore, the minister said that the government will maintain green areas for the new administrative center by up to 70 percent. "The concept will follow Nagara Rimba Nusa that has a concept of water. Even though the new capital is not surrounded by sea, it will be so by water," Basuki added.
The minister also claimed that the new capital city has the least risk of potential forest fires as the land does not contain coal. "Sepaku district is chosen because based on studies, the land has no coal," Basuki remarked.
ANTARA