Outlook of Prof. Hadi Susilo Arifin about the Management of RTB

Ciliwung River is the Watershed (DAS) which is considered the biggest contributor of flooding in Jakarta. Various efforts have been done by the government and related parties such as dredging and manufacturing of downstream channel. In order to disseminate the results of related research of Ciliwung rescue, Professor of Landscape Architecture of IPB, Prof. Dr. Hadi Susilo Arifin, explained his outlook in the Focus Group Discussion (24/11) about Ruang Terbuka Biru / Blue Open Space (RTB) as one way to cope with flooding. He thrusted the concept named Water Front Landscape (WFL).

In WFL, it was expected that the houses near the Watershed were made overlooking to the river by not utilizing the periphery for building houses. With the arrangement of the houses overlooking the river flow, it was expected that people could clean and maintain. Furthermore in the WFL,  to inhibit the water flow to downstream it was made the coakan in the riverside in the form of water cascade/large pool/canal.  This method, it turned out to be able to provide another benefit which could simultaneously be used for free for the public recreation areas around.

But today’s problem that we encountered in Indonesia was the exploitation of excessive water bodies both to supply water for industrial and household needs, as an area for bathing, washing and latrine, as well as puddle trash that seemed to be able to accommodate all sorts of various solid and liquid wastes, whenever, anywhere freely and free of charges. Further the terrestrial area, ranging from banks and commensurate water bodies to inland, for land-use change had occured so quicky, changed from green open spaces into the awakened area. Even starting from 80’s era when the property industry erupted so many hilling dan landfills on the body of water were to get a saleable land area, which could be built houses and sold. The condition was with no strict law enforcement, then lots of green open space and blue open space were degraded. The environmental condition of the watershed was worsening and alarming.

For that, in this FGD the element of people living in the Watershed from upstream to downstream from Mega Mendung Bogor to Tanjung Priok were invited. It was also invited the policy makers starting from Bogor, Depok and DKI Jakarta. (dh)