Enviro News Asia, Bogor – Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has emphasized that no permanent buildings are allowed in the water catchment area of the upper Ciliwung River Basin (DAS Ciliwung). This is because the Ciliwung River Basin serves as an underground water flow area and a crucial water catchment zone.
“Due to this vital function, water catchment areas must be designated as protected zones,” Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq asserted during an inspection in the Puncak Bogor area on Thursday (March 6, 2025).
The minister reaffirmed that no permanent structures should be built in the upper Ciliwung River area. While tourism activities may be permitted, they must be highly restricted. However, his team has found significant land-use changes in the upper Ciliwung River Basin, which spanned 15,000 hectares in 2010. By 2022, 8,000 hectares of this land had been converted into agricultural areas, leading to an increase in residential settlements and tourism sites. These changes contributed to the massive floods that struck Bekasi, Jakarta, and Bogor in early March 2025.
Bogor Regent Rudy Susmanto highlighted the drastic landscape changes in the upper Ciliwung River region. He emphasized that the Bogor Regency Government, in coordination with the central government and law enforcement agencies, is committed to restoring the area to its original function as a water catchment zone.
West Java Governor Dedy Mulyadi also pointed out widespread violations, particularly in land use within the upper Ciliwung River region. He stated that immediate demolition actions would be taken against all constructions that violate these regulations.
