China-constructed buildings withstand strong quakes in Nepal

English.news.cn, 2015-05-02, Editor: huaxia

The photo shows the Civil Service Hospital of Nepal constructed by China in
Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, after the 7.9-magnitude quake on April 25, 2015.
(Photo source: People's Daily)

KATHMANDU, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of historic and civilian buildings were ruined when a 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal on April 25. But local people have discovered that all buildings funded and constructed by China in the capital of Kathmandu remain nearly undamaged.

So far China has financed and built three major projects for Nepal in Kathmandu -- a hospital for civil servants, a training center for traditional medicine and a research center for nature conservation.

All of them have remained almost completely intact after the quake, with only minor damages to surfaces or several insignificant parts of the buildings, said Zeng Huacheng, vice director of the Department of Outward Investment and Economic Cooperation under China's Ministry of Commerce, in an interview with media this week.

The photo shows a training center for traditional medicine constructed by China
 in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, after the 7.9-magnitude quake on April 25, 2015.
(Photo source:People's Daily)

What's more, the Kathmandu Stadium, which China helped Nepal repair and maintain, has also withstood the powerful and devastating quakes all these days, only sustaining minor damages to its main gate, entrance and stands, Zeng said.

The same applied to a China-built technical school in another Nepalese city during the historic destructive quakes, he said, adding that the Nepalese side has expressed satisfaction and appreciation to China for the good quality of the aid projects.

Zeng attributed the resilience of the buildings that were funded and constructed by China to high standards for seismic-resistance, smart designs adapted to local conditions and a strong sense of responsibility on the Chinese part.

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Bridge falls while under construction

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 12/12/2011

Collapsing trend: Workers remove pieces of the collapsed
 Marunda- Cilincing bridge in North Jakarta on Sunday. The bridge,
which was due to be operational by end of this month, collapsed
 early Sunday. Nobody was injured, but the incident raises questions
 about the quality of workmanship. Antara/ Reno Esnir

A bridge connecting Marunda and Cilincing in North Jakarta collapsed while still under construction early on Sunday, another example of shoddy infrastructure in the wake of the fatal collapse of the Kutai bridge.

No deaths or injuries were reported in the incident, but financial losses are expected to have reached to Rp 750 million (US$83,250).

City officials were quick to begin pointing the blame.

“This is purely human error. The quality of the concrete blocks should not be questioned, because they are top-notch,” Jakarta Public Works Agency deputy chief Novizal told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Once complete, the bridge is expected to be 620 meters long. Around 70 meters of the bridge still needs to be completed. The project is expected to be finished by the end of December.

Novizal said the incident had occurred when construction workers were attempting to place a sixth 30.8-meter girder on top of the foundation pillars.

“The sixth concrete block rolled sideways and fell on the block next to it, creating a domino effect,” he said.

The Marunda bridge incident comes in the wake of the collapse of the Kutai Kartanegara bridge in East Kalimantan, which killed at least 21 people and left 15 unaccounted for.

On Dec. 6, the 70-meter Bamba bridge over the Saddang River in Pinrang regency, South Sulawesi, collapsed only a month after it was opened. Two days later, the 800-

meter Pikhe bridge in Wamena in Jayawijaya district, Papua, collapsed.

On Sept. 16, 2010, a 100-meter section of the Jl. R.E. Martadinata, which connects Ancol and the Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta subsided as a result of seawater abrasion.

Urban analyst Nirwono Joga said he suspected foul played a part in the Marunda bridge collapse.

“The real reason [the incident occurred] is because contractors and government officials always cut corners on construction projects,” he told the Post.

On average only between 50 and 60 percent of funds earmarked for construction projects ends being used to pay for the actual construction, Nirwono said.

The remainder is used for administrative purposes, such as the wheeling and dealing needed to get the project approved by the City Council or House of Representatives, he said.

Nirwono urged government officials and contractors to stop corruption in infrastructure construction projects.

“We should not be playing with public safety. Things must change. The government should have the will to do it,” he said.

However, a civil engineering professor from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Rizal Tamin, said he was convinced that human error could have been the main factor in the Marunda bridge collapse.

“This could have been a result of a lack of discipline in implementing the standard operating procedures,” he said. (mim)

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Indonesian President Orders Telkom Bosses to Get Off Their Backsides and Do Their Jobs

Jakarta Globe, September 17, 2010

Jakarta. An angry President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered his officials to roast the management of state-owned Telekomunikasi Selular Indonesia after he experienced technical difficulties with teleconference service during a public relations exercise.

Yudhoyono, at a Idul Fitri police post in Cikampek, West Java, was discussing traffic flows with Central Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang with the media in tow when Edward’s image froze on the screen.

“It was okay before, why is it like that now?” the president asked. “Are there any Telkomsel officials here?”

Yudhoyono then asked a Telkomsel official whether the company’s president director ever checked on such network failures.

When the unfortunate official replied “No,” Yudhoyono ordered Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam to send a message to the president directors of Telkomsel, Indonesia’s leading cellular provider, and its parent company, Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), to ensure that all systems within their control functioned properly.

“Please tell them, ‘don’t just sit behind their desks. Make sure that the systems function. Now,’” the president said.

Antara/JG

Quality of gas hoses, regulators, still spotty

Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 07/07/2010 10:17 AM

Chicken noodle hawker Nono turned to his own resourcefulness when he received the gas conversion program’s free kit, which he considered low quality.

The hose was thinly-walled while the regulator was a botched fit with the melon-shaped canister, he said about the kit that he obtained in Jakarta.

He immediately replaced the faulty accessories, keeping only the canister, which he still uses.

“I bought a 1-meter length of hose used for welding for Rp 30,000 [US$ 3.3] and a regulator for Rp 80,000. Then I attached them to the canister myself,” he said.

He added that his kit had held up well since the hose “has not shown signs of wear”.

The government, through local administrations, distributed free kits consisting of a stove, hose, regulator and 3-kilogram LPG canister to low-income households in 2007 to end large subsidies for kerosene as Indonesia’s main fuel for cooking.

As of last month, there have been at least 95 explosions, 22 deaths and 131 injuries and 55 houses damaged in gas explosions in Greater Jakarta and West Java.

The city fire department and disaster agency said that between January and July there were 40 LPG explosions.

Another hawker, Agus, said he received a durable LPG set in Bogor at the beginning of the conversion period.

“I have not changed the original hose since this one’s still good,” he said.

“I only changed the regulator since it wore off after a year of use. I bought a new one for Rp 78,000.”

Worn hoses expand from their original size while worn regulators would not fit properly on the canister’s valve, Agus said.

Agus and Nono said they knew of at least three different hoses on the market, which Nono described as “an orange-colored one, a larger hose in orange too, and a black one”.

The variety of dubious equipment mirrors the botched quality standards in the market that the government supposedly controls.

An updated study conducted by the Consumer Protection Agency showed that all hoses, two-thirds of canister check valves, half of all stoves, 20 percent of regulators and 7 percent of canisters did not meet safety standards.

As a result, many parties have pinned the blame on the government regarding the recent spate of gas canister explosions.

The government reacted by holding a Cabinet meeting with Vice President Boediono. They decided to recall hoses after learning that the products had an estimated life expectancy of two years.

Yet many vendors report that they were unaware the hoses had expiry dates for hoses.

Ati, a gas canister vendor for 15 years in Taman Sari, West Jakarta, said hoses had no expiry dates.

“I have stocked some hoses for a year,” she told The Jakarta Post. “None of my customers have complained about the quality.”

She added that she did not receive any notice from her agent regarding the distribution of hoses by state energy company PT Pertamina.

As previously reported, PT Pertamina planned to distribute supposedly better hoses on Tuesday to its main agents for redistribution to the public. However, the start of the distribution was postponed on the given day.

Currently, most vendors get their hoses and regulators from independent suppliers, who flood the market with goods of various quality and price.

“I offer two types of hoses. The expensive ones cost up to Rp 70,000 while the cheap ones cost around Rp. 50,000,” Ati said. “Regulators cost around Rp 25,000.”

She added that although her goods carried Indonesian National Standards (SNI) labels, prices indicated the item’s durability.

Most of the packaging boast SNI labels printed directly on it or on stickers with the SNI logo and a registration number.

“The cheap items wear out quite quickly, but only a few buyers purchase the hardier expensive ones,” she said.

Arya Rezavidi, a director for technology conservation at the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), said a study by his agency’s found that most of the explosions occurred because of leakages in the canister’s valve.

The agency, according to Arya, believed that the leakage occurred because of a failure during the canister production process.

“As of today, we don’t have a specific study looking into whether such valve leakage was triggered by other reasons, like illegal gas injections,” he said. (gzl)

RI infrastructure faces quality problem: Minister

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/31/2010 10:09 PM

Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto says much of the country’s infrastructure suffers from quality problems.

“Based on our observations, there are quality and utilization problems in the existing infrastructure,” he said Wednesday as quoted by Antara at a regional meeting in Semarang, Central Java.

He called for improved quality, planning and budgeting in future.

Planning should begin with spatial planning of each area, feasibility studies and technical planning according to existing standards, Djoko said.

He added the steps were necessary to synchronize programs involving several sectors and regions.

Besides the quality problem, some infrastructure that had been built was not being used optimally, he went on.

Governor Fauzi not all that keen on fixing busted roads

Niken Prathivi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/25/2009 2:13 PM

The old adage puts safety first, but Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo seems to think it can wait, as in the case of damaged roads.

The rainy season has traditionally been a time when motorists, and in particular motorcyclists, are warned to drive more carefully to avoid rainwater-deluged potholes.

But on Tuesday, Fauzi said his administration would not rush to repair them, adding it could wait until the advent of the dry season.

"We'll repair the damaged roads; we have the money for it," he said.

"However, we won't do it right away."

He said his administration had made its own assessments of the road conditions as well as traffic load for each road.

Fauzi also said should the administration insist on repairing the damaged roads during the rainy season, the work would be in vain.

Heavy rains coupled with increased loading only serve to hasten the damage, the governor pointed out.

However, Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) director Tulus Abadi disagreed.

"The administration can be penalized *if it fails to promptly repair damaged roads*," he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Tulus cited Article 273 of the 2009 Traffic Law, which stipulates five-year prison sentences or Rp 120 million fines for the responsible officials or institutions who fail to repair damaged roads.

Voicing similar concern, city councillor Nurmansjah Lubis said Jakarta residents could sue the administration over the poor roads.

"Filing a lawsuit is an important move as the damaged roads can lead to fatal accidents, especially to motorcyclists," Nurmansjah said.

Data from the Jakarta Police's Traffic Management Center shows 20 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first three months of this year.

The TMC also notes at least 17 areas with damaged roads, including at the Jl. H. Nawi intersection near ITC Fatmawati, at the Senayan shooting range intersection in Central Jakarta, and on Jl. Simpruk Raya in West Jakarta.

Institute of Transportation Studies (Instran) director Darmaningtyas attributed the damaged roads to poor construction coupled with bad planning.

"The roads are easily damaged because they were poorly built," he pointed out.

"For instance, on a scale of one to 100 - where 100 means ideal materials mixing, asphalting and funding, what we have here is less than 50.

"*The contractors* often scale down the initial construction plan. So it's obvious why the results are far from satisfactory," Darmaningtyas added.

He said poor timing in carrying out the road repairs also played a part in the quality of the roads.

"Water is the main element in the asphalt," he said.

"But what we have here are constructors who mostly carry out the repairs during the rainy season."

The best time for road repairs in Jakarta is from May to October, during the dry season, he added.

To support a successful road renovation, Darmaningtyas said, the responsible agencies (including the public works agency) must reform its construction management.

Agency head Budi Widiantoro previously said the city had allocated a Rp 40 million budget for road maintenance for the first half of 2009, and another Rp 37 million for the second half.

"With this budget, we plan to revamp all the damaged roads this year," he said.

"However, if that's not possible, we'll continue the repairs based on the 2010 budget."

Jakarta needs planning supervision: Experts

The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Sat, 03/14/2009 1:53 PM

Corruption and a lack of professionalism among government officials and contractors has contributed to many building failures across Jakarta, a seminar concluded on Friday.

Sulistijo Sidarto Mulyo, chairman of Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) charter of professional engineers, said “building failures” did not just mean building collapsing, but also included poorly planned buildings.

“New schools with no students, or overpriced construction costs for a seaport are also examples of building failures,” Sulistijo told a seminar held by Pelita Harapan University.

If the government and developers worked by the book, these failures could be avoided, he said.

In South Korea, for example, developers must show would-be buyers all materials they intend to use for an apartment, Sulistijo said.

“They [the developers] would not dare change the quality of the materials. Here, developers show materials in promotional brochures but then use lower quality materials in construction,” he lamented.

Sulistijo told a story about an earthquake in a country not unlike Indonesia, in 1985.

“All government buildings crumbled, and only a few were left intact. This showed that not only had substandard materials been used, but that corruption was also invovled,” he said.

A similar catastrophe could happen in Jakarta, Sulistijo said.

Another speaker, Manlian Ronald Simanjuntak of the UPH civil engineering faculty, said building conversions were often a sign of building failure too.

“Basically, if we don’t feel comfortable with a building, this is a sign of a building’s failure,” Manlian said.

He highlighted the conversion of residential areas in the city into commercial premises as a good example of building failure.

As the economy expands and spaces are increasingly hard to find, many Jakarta residents have converted their houses into commercial properties.

South Jakarta municipality reported that owners of 1,649 buildings were abusing their residential permits. Many of these were being used as beauty clinics, spas, cafes, restaurants, offices, storage facilities and pharmacies.

“This is a case of building failure, but the administration doesn’t dare recognize it as a failure because they were the ones who handed out the permits.”

Sulistijo said that good buildings were ones that provided the most benefit to an area, over a certain time frame.

“We are really weak in the area of supervision of building developments,” he said.

He admitted that an independent body, like MUPA (Manggala Utama Penilai Ahli) whose engineering experts members, had yet to take on a supervisory role in building planning and development in Jakarta. (iwp)

Short circuits major cause of fires in Greater Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 03/07/2009 2:19 PM  |  City

 

SERANG: An estimated 80 percent of fires that occur in the Greater Jakarta area are caused by short circuits, an official from the National Committee on Electricity Safety said Friday.

 

"Most infernos occur because of faulty installation of mains electricity that leads to short circuits," committee head Tunggono said as quoted by Antara.

 

The committee found mains electricity systems in many premises were not set up properly by property developers, he said.

 

In many homes, electricity was often installed by construction workers who did not understand basic electricity concepts, he added.

 

The committee urged building contractors to comply with proper installation standards by using suitable materials and setting up mains electricity systems properly. - JP