Interview to trainees participated in the counterpart training course on "The Study on Capacity Development for Jeneberang River Basin Management"
Mr. Nader Al, Bunni, Minister of Irrigation, Syria and Dr. Bachar Faiad, Director of Water Resources Information Center, the Ministry of irrigation, Syria visited to Japan Water Agency Headquarters on May 9, 2005. Mr. Albnni said that all Syrian has appreciated your cooperation in the development of water-related infrastructure and we'd like to express our deepest thanks to President Aoyama and all other JWA staff. After lunch, they took the presentations on "Outline of JWA" and "Dam Management and Operation for safety, and had earnest discussions.
This training course was the second one entrusted from JICA, following JWA first training course on "Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)", was held from 3 to 24 February 2005. Since in Jeneberang River Basin, the new public corporation is being planned to be established for the river basin management, the purpose of this training course was to offer JWA's knowledge and experiences for setting up and operation of this public corporation. Also this course was made up with various lectures and site visits. We had interviewed two trainees Mr. Wakito and Mr. Prabowo on prior to the last day of the course.
1-Mr. WAKITO, (the first from right,) Mr. PRABOWO, (the second from right,) being interviewed by JWA staff on the last day of the program.
Could you give us information on Jeneberang River Basin?
Jeneberang River runs through South Sulawesi Province in Sulawesi Island. The total length of the river is 75km and its area is about 760km2. The total population in the area is almost 1.2 million and Makassar city, the capital of the province and the forth biggest city in Indonesia, is located at the downstream of the area. After the second five year plan, this area was designated as the largest development base in eastern Indonesia and has been urbanized and industrialized. This area has insufficient drainage capability and is suffering internal flood damages every year. Flood control is an urgent issue to Makassar city regarding life protection and economic activities.
"Comprehensive Jeneberang River Development Plan" was made in 1978 as the master plan for flood control and water resources development. Based on this plan, Bili-Bili multi-purpose dam was constructed as the core facility with a grant from Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF). The construction of Bili-Bili dam is expected to reduce flood damages drastically and bring much benefit in irrigation, water supply and power generation. Along with this project, "Ujung Pandang Water Supply Development Project", "Bili-Bili Irrigation Project" and "Multipurpose Dam Power Generation Project" are being under way by "Yen Loan".
A table showing a outline for the Jeneberang River Project (provided by Mr. Wakito)
Could you give us information on the management system of Jeneberang River Basin?
The Directorate General of Water Resources (DGWR) under the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for administration of rivers in Indonesia. The DGWR has three Regional Bureaus, namely Central, Eastern and Western Regional Bureau. On top of these bureaus, there are Water Resources Management Bureau and Technology Evaluation Bureau. Each bureau has some project offices. Jeneberang River Basin Development office which is in charge of the management of Jeneberang River is under Eastern Bureau and there are hundreds of staff is working in the office. The office is serving many functions such as the operation and maintenance of Bili-Bili dam, the maintenance sand pockets and Sabo dams, the management of the river downstream Bili-Bili Dam and the maintenance of observation facilities. Right now, the delegation of authority from the central government to the local governments is in progress. In water resources sector, the structural reform is being implemented with cooperation from related organizations based on the understanding that the past investments effects were insufficient. The structural reform is being done in the fields such as 1) Water resources development system 2) Organizational and financial base for river basin management 3) The management and implementation about water quality in regions 4) The management policy, the system and legislation about irrigation.
Under these circumstances, it is planning to establish the new public for river basin management organizations in four other river basins including Jeneberang River Basin.
In Jeneberang River Basin, the major rivers will be managed by the newly set up public corporation and others are going to be managed by Jeneberang River Basin Development Project Office from now on. Due to this background, Indonesian Government asked JICA for technological cooperation and JICA is carrying out "The Study on Capacity Development for Jeneberang River Basin Management" and provides this training course in the study.
How have both of you been involving in establishment of public corporations?
Mr. PRABOWO: I am responsible for water resources management in DGWR of the Ministry of Public Works and have engaged in setting up new public corporations for river basin management. In the ministry, Regional Bureau is going to be abolished in the near future and reorganize into five bureaus, namely Irrigation, River, Lakes and Coastal, Planning and Water Utilization Bureau. We still don't know how the public corporation will be authorized under the ministry.
Mr. WAKITO: I am sure that I will be assigned to the public corporation, but I have no idea about the post. I heard that the new corporation is going to be established in coming March according to a plan.
Could you tell us about the most impressive lecture and site visit?
Since every lecture was very instructive and it is difficult to say which was the best one. The same goes for the site visits. We were very impressed about Land Improvement District for rational irrigation water management, comprehensive flood control measures in populated urban areas, mechanical dam construction method with a few construction workers and effective water distribution system not only by the gravity but by pumps.
2 A scene of lectures. (1)
3 A scene of lectures. (2)
4 Two Indonesian participants inspecting at Tone Barrage.
5 A scene of visiting a field at Toyogawa irrigation system.
How do you want to make use of what you learned in this training course?
Mr. PRABORO: I'd like to introduce river management system in Japan to municipalities and spread in Indonesia. Also I want to compile the guidelines to accomplish this. Although the background and the condition of river management is different in Indonesia and Japan, I'm trying to transfer every thing what I learned to concerned people.
Mr. WAKITO: Since we're using same equipment in Indonesia which has been using in Japan, so I'd like to apply what I learned to how to collect data, reflect to the management and how to maintain and operate these equipment, and also I wan to develop manuals.
What do you expect JWA from now?
Mr. PROBOWO: We have yet achieved IWRM in Indonesia, so we're expecting various supports to realize IWRM through NARBO network.
Mr. WAKITO: I suppose Japan also has advanced technologies in civil engineering, so we hope that Japan makes efforts to transfer them to us.
Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule. We hope that the new public corporation is set up on schedule and many lucks to both of you.