Jakarta - The Jakarta administration has spent Rp 580 million (US$40,002) on a giant black nylon net to cover Sentiong River, which has been nicknamed Kali Item (Black River), in Kemayoran, North Jakarta.
The net was put in place to mask the river’s pollution and stench from Asian Games visitors, who are set to arrive in Jakarta next month.
“The net was procured in three segments,” Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno said on Tuesday as quoted , noting that the city had used a portion of the 2018 regional budget earmarked for the Jakarta Water Resource Agency.
The first and second segments, Sandiaga added, cost Rp 192 million each for 240 meters of nylon netting. The third segment cost Rp 196 million for 246 m of net.
Sandiaga went on to explain that the city would continue revitalizing the river after the Asian Games by, among others, installing new river walls.
In the meantime, the Jakarta Water Resource Agency has started to use aerators and nano bubble technology to clean up the river, though the results have been insignificant. The city plans to add more of aerator machines.(***)
