Govt to reduce size of Situ Gintung: VP

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/31/2009 4:28 PM

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Tuesday that the government will rebuild the Situ Gintung dam, but on a smaller scale to reduce the risk posed by the lake. Construction is expected to be completed by October.

The decision was made during a closed meeting chaired by Kalla and attended by Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, Home Minister Mardiyanto, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, Banten Governor Ratu Atut Choisiah and Jakarta Deputy Governor Prijanto.

“The lake will be rebuilt but it has to be safe and there should be no risk at all,” Kalla told a press conference after the meeting, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com. He said the lake was important as water catchment area to prevent flood.

Kalla said the government would reinforce the lake using concrete for its spillway.

Heavy rains last week led to the collapse of the almost 70-year-old sluice gate and its reinforcing wall on Friday, killing at least 99 people and destroying about 600 nearby houses.

Uncontrolled housing and development in the area reduced the size of the lake, which was fed by Pesanggrahan River, from 31 hectares in 1930 to less than 21 hectares at the time of the disaster. (dre)