Kuta's busy streets regularly awash

Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Kuta | Sat, 03/07/2009 2:31 PM  |  Bali 

After two consecutive scorching hot days earlier in the week, it was raining hard Wednesday evening and foreign tourists walking on Jl. Kartika in Kuta frowned as they saw two sections of the street were completely flooded. 

The busy street, where dozens of hotels and restaurants are located, is an alternative route, a shortcut, leading to the famous Kuta Beach in Badung regency from the nearby Ngurah Rai International Airport. 

But it was jammed with a long queue of motorists who slowly struggled to get through sections with flood water up to 60 centimeters high, one of which was located near the five-star Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel. 

After the rainwater subsided the following day, it was clear that many drainage holes along the two sections were completely blocked by thick sand, while others were filled with all kinds of garbage. 

Suci Ari, a member of the Bali Hotel Public Relations Association and the spokeswoman of the Santika Hotel, said that this was a common sight on the street. 

"Of course it is disturbing tourists and it has been like this for a considerable time," she told The Jakarta Post on Friday. 

"The problem is no one cares because the drainage system is a public facility." 

But when it comes to guests' comfort, businesses along the street usually make the necessary efforts to solve the problem, at least on their own premises. 

Suci said the section in front of her hotel used to be swamped whenever it rained, so the management decided to make an additional hole that connected to the drainage system. 

I Wayan Sugawa, head of the Badung Highway and Water Management Agency, said he had not received any reports of flooded streets as none of his officers had monitored the area on that rainy night. 

"We will check the drainage holes on the street immediately and see what we can do," he told the Post on Thursday. 

"Usually the water cannot drain away because the holes are clogged with sand as well as litter from the street." 

He said the street was equipped with a 5-kilometer sewerage system on both sides, up to 1.5 meters in height and width, which "should be enough to stop the street from flooding." 

"Piles of garbage and sand inside the system, however, made it difficult for rainwater to drain away," Sugawa said. 

He said the agency had a program to clear materials blocking waterways in the regency but it had yet to reach Jl. Kartika as they were still working on Jl. Arjuna and Jl. Ken Dedes. 

In nearby Denpasar, seven of the 11 villages in the Sidakarya district were flooded early this year after the five-meter-wide Punggawa River broke its banks. 

The Denpasar mayor said the flood was caused by an inadequate water drainage system as well as garbage clogging up the sewers. Meanwhile, the Bali provincial administration plans to map the flood-prone areas, after disastrous floods hit the island on Jan. 11, to make the disaster management system function more effectively.

Let's manage garbage to combat flooding

Enri Damanhuri, Bandung, The Jakarta Post

A major flood threatens Jakarta. At least that is what was implied by the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), which predicted that a high tide of up to 2.2 meters will affect northern Jakarta within the next few weeks, with the worst affected areas expected to be Penjaringan and Pluit. High levels of precipitation could also cause floods of up to half a meter deep in Cawang, Cakung, Jatinegara, Pancoran and Rawa Jati (Kompas, Dec. 5).

This is concerning, at least for us Jakartans and other residents of coastal areas. One problem that has not yet been solved is how to manage our garbage to avoid flooding. Now we have to add high tides to the list of threats.

The easiest answer to the question as to what causes the floods nowadays is the dramatic impact of global warming affecting all parts of the world. The floods are caused by bad weather and storms, and the melting ice is affecting the flow of water, leading to deluges.

However, we may have forgotten another reason that needs to be addressed: the intensive coastal reclamation work in North Jakarta was one of the cause of the floods from Ancol to Kapuk Naga at the end of November.

We may wonder about the floods in the U.S. or UK due to Hurricane Katrina or the heavy rains that caused the big rivers of Europe to overflow. Countries that are well-developed in terms of surface water management, through well-prepared drainage systems, pumps and control dams, in addition to proper waste management, where it is rare to find garbage plugging up the system, still have to deal with the problem.

Surely the rising waters will wreak havoc in developing countries, that are still only introducing such technology, as in Indonesia.

Floods do not just transport water. They contain bacteria, germs and domestic waste. It's no secret that the floodwaters also contain dangerous substances, such as hazardous chemical waste.

We face many problems in handling floods in Jakarta: from preventing the floods and reducing their impacts, to appraising and repairing the damage after the floods so as to prevent them from happening again.

There needs to be legal consequences for those who cause losses and causalities, whether intentionally or otherwise. The Environmental Management Law (No. 23/1997), which makes pollution a criminal offense, needs to be used as a point of reference by the authorities so as to discourage those who do not respect the environment and contribute to its destruction by either purposely mismanaging or carelessly managing waste.

When faced with flooding, people are normally most concerned about saving themselves and their material and productive assets. But what about the dangerous waste that can pollute the water and leech into the ground? This is especially worrying given the number of both large and small industries located in north Jakarta.

There needs to be strict law enforcement by the environmental authorities and related institutions to control how industrial waste is managed so as to avoid people falling sick or dying because they come into contact with dangerous chemicals during the floods.

The stakeholders, all of us, need to take a stand to reduce the impact of improper waste management, and the international forum on climate change in Bali is the perfect opportunity for Indonesia to take action and think about how improper waste management, domestic and industrial, has contributed to polluting our environment.

In order to affect a change in mentality and behavior among the Indonesian people, routine and ongoing socialization of good environmental practices and strict law enforcement of environmental regulations are necessary. The government, as one of the main stakeholders, needs to fulfill its role as the main agent of change by widely distributing information to the public and corporations about the importance of proper waste management, especially for industry-generated hazardous waste.

Let us not forget that waste management, especially urban waste that consists mainly of organic carbon substances, is a significant contributor to greenhouse emissions, especially since waste management systems in Indonesian landfills (TPAs) create methane gases that are improperly managed.

It is commonly known that the greenhouse effect of methane gas is 21 times worse than that of CO2. Of course, this does not mean that we have to blindly apply the values or emission factors provided by experts from developed countries. It requires systematic mapping to explain how proper waste management can serve as one of the important contributors to the effort to reduce greenhouse emissions in Indonesia.

From a management aspect, a program to reduce greenhouse emissions needs to start with the basics; the implementation of the 3-Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). This program can be socialized among garbage and industrial waste generators through discussion panels to formulate rules of conduct involving all relevant parties.

At least there will be a symbiosis of mutualism; both horizontally and vertically. More importantly, municipalities and industry players need to start managing their waste properly. When they realize that the hazardous waste generated by companies in their areas requires professional handling, according to the environmental rules and regulations, they will come to realize that they need to delegate this task to professional companies that specialize in industrial waste management.

As waste management is their core business, they will have the facilities and capabilities needed to ensure that the waste will be properly managed and will not damage the environment. To quote the old saying, "We should leave it to the experts." It's still not too late for this.

The writer is a professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). He can be reached at e_damanhuri@ftsl.itb.c.id

Disaster-fatigue and the importance of a Plan B

Manggi Habir, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Within a relatively brief period, we have witnessed a series of tragic disasters, both natural and man-made. This has ranged from the Aceh tsunami to the Adam Air plane crash and more recently to the Jakarta floods. This begs the question as to what we have learned from these painful experiences?

Unfortunately, we must admit not much. With limited resources and awareness, we have often ignored disaster prevention measures in our everyday routines. One notable trend, however, is that with a weak first line of defense, there is a growing importance of contingency disaster plans, or what companies often refer to as plan B (as opposed to the normal operating plan A). And with bird flu just around the corner, our plan B abilities will be truly put to test.

Preventive measures are, in the long run, more cost effective than remedial measures that kick in during and after a disaster. This is intuitive and common sense. On an individual level, better to buy and wear a motorcycle helmet than pay a brain surgeon to reassemble your head. For an airline, better to spend on safety measures than damage your reputation and forego potential revenue from customers switching to safer airlines.

For an oil company, it is better to ensure that safety standards are adhered to (especially when drilling in close proximity to heavily populated areas and public transportation facilities), than to have to pay for damages and compensation. For a provincial government, it better spending on early warning systems and going through practice runs, rather than having to relive another Aceh tsunami or Yogyakarta earthquake tragedy.

And for a municipal governor, better to spend on improving urban canals and drainage systems rather than losing political capital because of floods, should one have further political ambitions.

But, unfortunately, preventive measures are not without cost, while it is always hoped disasters will happen to somebody else, and thus are not a certainty. And with the lack of awareness of the need for preventive measures, even periodic building evacuation exercises remain a rarity.

Companies with the resources normally incorporate preventive measures in their business plans. They do this by identifying critical risk areas in their businesses, and correspondingly install ways to address and minimize these risks. In the absence of insurance, losses are quantified, should mishaps occur, and funds are set aside to cover these potential losses.

Minimum industry safety standards are set and adhered to with proper government or industry enforcement carrying sufficient penalties for non-compliance. Not easy in a developing environment, and to be fair even developed ones find this difficult.

It is like having to exercise, eat a balanced diet and have regular medical check-ups to avoid paying huge hospital bills later on. We know it is good for us, but never have the urgency or time, until unfortunately it is too late. Human nature is such that we tend to ignore the negatives and instead focus on the positives. It must be our survival instinct.

Indeed, it is our weakness in implementing and enforcing preventive measures in our daily routine that leads to the prominence of plan Bs. This is inevitable in an increasingly riskier world, with increased volatility brought about by, among other things, globalization, more frequent and extreme climatic changes and technological innovations. So what constitutes a credible plan B?

This column is not meant to be a treatise on how to do a plan B. Suffice to say that a plan B should have adequate funding, a realistic action plan, an organization with a credible chain of command to the very top (to get visibility, a buy-in from everyone and decisive decision making) and a focal point of communication to ensure accurate and consistent information is made public.

But a plan means nothing if it is not practiced. So it is vital that we do periodic practice runs. Plan B's ideally should remain a work in progress and, after each practice run, constantly fine-tuned to ensure credibility and effectiveness. Tsunami and earthquake practice runs are important exercises to go through. It is sort of like having an army in peacetime. We want them to be battle-ready and continually practice for a war, which we hope will never happen.

This brings me to bird flu, which has already claimed lives and could escalate further into a more deadly pandemic. Experts all agree it is just a matter of time before we have a pandemic. So, in this case, the early warning systems have already been switched on, flashing yellow warning lights. Unlike the recent tsunami and earthquakes, we have the luxury of a bit more time and thus both preventive and contingency plans need to be reviewed and put into action simultaneously.

Preventive measures include ensuring we are vigilant and report any dead birds to the authorities, and when the virus is identified ensuring we cull all fowl and animals (with proper compensation) that could transmit the disease within the surrounding area.

Identify key areas where the deadly virus can breed, like crowded wet markets where people and animals converge and try to ensure as clean an environment as possible. There has been heartening news of a bird flu vaccine being developed in Australia with some success. Although it remains to be seen how soon it can be safely used.

On the plan B remedial side, hospitals have been designated to cater for bird flu patients and isolation wards have been established. Aside from the hardware, it is important to coordinate the dissemination of information to ensure the public is made more aware about bird flu, the symptoms, the dangers and where to go for help should they identify it in their respective communities. Ways to deal with affected relatives and communities to ensure that the disease is isolated and contained is also important.

With all that has happened, it is no wonder we are suffering from a bit of disaster-fatigue. And it is now that our leaders, instead of pointing fingers at each other, should start showing real leadership. It is an opportune time, especially with the general elections only two years away.

The writer is a financial and business analyst and a lecturer at Tarumanegara University in West Jakarta.

Jakarta going down drain

The recent floods have laid bare numerous problems in the planning and management of Jakarta, and hopefully also have taught us many lessons. One fact clearly worth recording is that Greater Jakarta lacks an adequate and proper drainage system.

Those drainage systems that do exist in both residential areas, including exclusive housing complexes, and public places are clearly not up to the task of channeling water during big storms.

Stroll along a major thoroughfare in any large city in Europe or the U.S., and you can see just how large and clean the underground drainage system is; large enough, in fact, for a person to walk through.

Jakarta, with a population of at least 10 million, does not have large, properly integrated drains. The result, as we have all seen this past week, is flooding.

The best drainage systems are said to be those around the Presidential Palace, including along Jl. Merdeka Utara, Jl. Majapahit, Jl. Veteran and Jl. Juanda, which were built during the Dutch colonial era. However, these areas were inundated when the city was flooded in 2002, because of the poor maintenance of connecting drains.

Though parts of the city flood whenever there is a major rainstorm, there has been no effort on the part of the administration or residents to fix Jakarta's drainage system.

The numerous wires and pipes criss-crossing the drains under the main thoroughfare of Jl. Thamrin have made them more vulnerable to clogs. This is just one example of the administration's lack of attention to the drainage system.

Given the many waterways and drains that become clogged during rainy days, it is clear the drainage systems in Jakarta's five mayoralties are poorly integrated. And now, with Jakarta practically a megacity, with areas of West Jakarta and Banten, integrated drainage systems are even more crucial.

However, it is doubtful that the administrations of Depok, Tangerang, Bogor and Bekasi consult the Jakarta administration on the issue of integrated drainage systems when they undertake big new projects, like the building of malls or housing complexes and industrial estates.

But Jakarta alone cannot create an integrated drainage system among it, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek). In a time when coordination has become a rarity in government, the Jakarta administration must work with neighboring administrations to deal with this issue.

For these administrations, it is clear that developers must be required to build proper drainage systems before new malls and housing complexes are built.

The next step would then be to ensure developers live up to this requirement, which is not often the case. Officials in charge of issuing permits to developers have been known to look the other way for a price. Clearly, the administration must improve its control system.

Another necessary step is involving the public in keeping drains and waterways clear. The most obvious area that needs addressing is to stop people from dumping garbage into waterways, clogging the city's sluice gates.

The city ordinance prohibiting people from littering has not worked, to say the least. Enforcement of the ordinance has been limp, with no one we have heard of ever being fined for littering.

With the worst of the floods having hopefully passed, the city administration must find a way to manage Jakarta's waterways.

A review of the existing drainage system is necessary, despite the fact that the project will be costly. Also, a law needs to be issued requiring developers to establish appropriate drainage systems before they are issued permits to build malls or housing and industrial complexes.

Residents who dump garbage into waterways must be punished, and each mayoralty must undertake regular controls on their drainage systems. Protecting Jakarta from flood will require an all-out national effort, and a proper drainage system is just one part of this effort.