Pitap River Damaged in Balangan

Paringin, South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Antaranews) - Pitap River, a tributary of Balangan River, now increasingly in damaged condition, in addition to shallow too much garbage and even slightly turbid river water receded.

Monitoring by journalists who traveled to the region in the foothills of the Meratus on Friday, the river was very low tide conditions due to silting, and everywhere in the middle of the river are many scattered logged woods or woods collapsed.

The water is not clear anymore as a few years ago. Proved it at low tide rocks and sand difficult to be visible at the bottom of the river.

"In the past, when the dry season and the water receded, easily visible rocks and sand at the bottom of the river, because the water is clear, but now cloudy," said Dumrani, resident in the Village Panggung.

According to Dumrani, damage to the river is very pronounced lately, because in addition to scattered garbage also drastically reduced fish populations, such as fish Mangki, Jelawat, Adungan, Lampam, Sanggang, and other freshwater fish.

Even the population of rivers such as barnacle shells and ketuyung also been difficult to obtain, the two shells of the river side were dishes to fulfill the needs of local residents.

Damage of Pitap River is estimated to occur also in the upper reaches of the river in Meratus. Pitap upstream deforestation has occurred, as many settlements and later not far from the river a large-scale coal mining, namely in the area Tundakan also expected to affect the condition of the murky river water, he said.

Locals expect the local government to rehabilitate the damaged condition of the river, with the river clean up the garbage or doing the dredging of the river so that the river function properly.