Wonogiri, Ekuatorial – President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo opted planting trees over upstream areas rather than dredging Gajah Mungkur dam, in Wonogiri, Central Java. During his visit to the dam on Saturday (29/11), President Jokowi said that Gajah Mungkur dam has thick sedimentation, over six million cubic meters per year, caused by erosion. He argued that not enough trees at the upstream areas was causing water and soil, run through to the dam and piled up.
“The budget for dredging the dam would be diverted to plant trees in upstream areas. If we have to dredge every year, then there must be something wrong,” said President Jokowi. He added that dredging project must be completed in two years. The funds to dredge the dam, he said, will be stopped by 2015.
“[We should] plant trees not only in Wonogiri [dam] but it applies to all [dams] in Indonesia. We need to plant trees in the upstream areas. If not, dams’ capacity will be depleted,” he said.
In separate place, Marjuki, one of fish farmers of Gajah Mungkur dam, said that dried dam had left plenty of his died for losing oxygen supply in the water.
“The water was declining meanwhile lots of mud underneath. Even if there was rain, its water surcharge has yet to increase,” he said adding that the dam was considered to be in normal condition if its water level was sufficient for fish farming. “The standard for fish farming is eight meter deep for sufficient oxygen supply.” Bramantyo