Bogor Gets Ready to Face Dry Season

Bogor, 7/5 (Antara) - Bogor Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has begun preparing several steps in anticipation of the upcoming dry season.

"In anticipation of dry season, we have coordinated with a number of stakeholders, such as Bogor's clean water supply company (PDAM), the local government, and Indonesian Red Cross (PMI)," Logistics Section Chief of Bogor BPBD Budi Aksomo said here on Tuesday.

He explained, Bogor BPBD will cooperate with Tirta Kahuripan water service company to deliver clean water to communities during the expected dry season.

According to Budi, the cooperation between Bogor BPBD and Tirta Kahuripan has been ongoing since 2011 so that the water supply company has prepared some water trucks, that will be used to distribute clean water, in case of drought in some areas in Bogor.

"Last year, the water service company had distributed 68 thousand liters of water to a number of areas experiencing drought," he said.

He added, in 2012, the company had also distributed clean water as much as what needed by the local residents, of which the water supplied was also used for irrigation of farms and gardens.  

Besides coordinating with some stakeholders, he stated that the Agency has also prepared adequate human resources to handle the case of drought, especially when people have difficulty in getting water.

Budi admitted that Bogor actually has not received official instruction from the West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency.

However, he said, Bogor BPBD feel the need to take precautions in order to be ready to face the dry season.

"We chose to take early precautions since people in Bogor district had experienced drought and difficulty in getting water two years ago," he pointed out.

Therefore, he further said, various alternative ways to obtain clean water will be done before the dry season, such as making water wells.

"We hoped the drought happened last year will not happen again, but if it happens, we are ready to provide clean water," Budi said.

He noted some areas in the district listed as drought-prone areas, include Jonggol, Cariu, Tajur Sari, Caringin, and Bojong Koneng.

Laily R