River restoration to start at Istiqlal

JAKARTA. The city administration has inked cooperation with the South Korea government to produce clean water from the polluted Ciliwung River.

Deputy Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said over the weekend that they had picked the part of the river that runs near the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Central Jakarta as a pilot project.

"We are about to start [the project] and the river at Istiqlal will be able to produce clean water," Ahok was quoted as saying by kompas.com.

He said that their counterparts would provide a waste treatment facility to process water from households and offices nearby before entering the river.

Earlier this year, Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo met with South Korean Ambassador Kim Yeong-seon, which led to cooperation in restoring Ciliwung River and providing public transportation.

The administration expressed hope that the restoration would make the part of Ciliwung River that runs along Pasar Baru and Istiqlal Grand Mosque a new water recreational site. (The Jakarta Post)