Banjarmasin govt wants the rivers back to function

The government of Banjarmasin wants the rivers in the city back to function as they were in the past. (Antaranews Kalsel/Hasan Z)

In the past, the rivers were navigable. Small boat sailed, very beautiful and lovely, but now development and residential areas have seized them. If only they could be return to function it should be marvelous,

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The government of Banjarmasin wants the rivers in the city back to function as they should, Head of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Agency Arifin Noor stated.

Nowadays, according to him, the rivers are in poor condition, some are become narrow, others are shallow, and even died, as a result of urban develoment and housing construction.

Whereas, he pointed out in a socialization about the river in North Banjarmasin Sub-district Office, if the rivers back to their normal function then Banjarmasin would be a river tourist city, just like that of Venice in Italy or the city in Netherlands.

As a way out, he said, the city goverment invite all-level of its residents to participate in returning the function of the rivers, which covers drainage function, transportation function, tourism function, ecology function, and other economic functions.

"In the past, the rivers were navigable. Small boat sailed, very beautiful and lovely, but now development and residential areas have seized them. If only they could be return to function it should be marvelous," he described it infront of hundreds of chieves of neighborhood units (RT), community units (RW), and public fgures in the socialization

Other source-person were Mohammad Ary from River-Concerned Community (Melingai) Banjarmasin and Hamdi, environment conservationist, who is also former head of Environment Agency. They were agreed that rivers in Banjarmasin should be revived.

Head of Drainage of the PUPR Agency Rasidah and Head of North Banjarmasin Sub-district Afiludin also gave their view. Then there was a question and answer session