Steps have been taken to avert drought disaster: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Public Works and Housing Ministry said it has taken a number of steps to avert damage by extreme dry season this year.

"We have continued intensive monitoring of water availability in reservoirs," Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said here on Tuesday.

The farmers have been told not to be wasteful in using water, the minister said, adding,"We told them how to use water efficiently."

As a short term step to cope with deficit in water supply, the ministry has distributed water pumps in areas more vulnerable to drought, he said.

Mobile water tanks , public hydrants are made available and new wells are dug and they were given water pumps, he said.

"That is short term steps. In mid term steps we speed up development of 13 dams in 10 provinces this year," the minister said.

Earlier, Director General of Water Resources Mudjiadi said from intensive monitoring of 147 water reservoirs, the levels of water surface are normal in nine of 16 largest dams including Jatiluhur, Cirata, Sermo, and Sutami.

Water deficit was seen in five other dams including Keuliling, Batu Tegi, Saguling, Wonogiri and Bening , and two dams -- Wadas Lintang and Sempor already dried up.

Mudjiadi said climate is not all to blame for the water shortage as farmers also failed to follow the right system of planting.

They should plant second crop between two seasons , but many farmers failed to follow the order by planting only rice from season to the following season, he said, adding such system is wasteful in water use.

Mudjiadi said the public works ministry has been ready with 761 units of water pumps in nine provinces -- West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Southeast Sulawesi , West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Java.

The pumps have a pumping capacity of 10 to 30 liter per second and 5 to 150 liter per second, he said.

The public works ministry said in some areas there has been no rain from May until July such as in Java, South Sulawesi, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, Lampung, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said drought has hit 77 regencies in 12 provinces and until July 111,000 hectares of rice field were without water .

It said drought disaster might hit wider areas causing problem in irrigating 222,847 hectares of rice fields or a harvest loss of 1 million tons of rice.(*)