According to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), fifteen lakes in Indonesia are currently in a critical condition. Head of Bappenas, Bambang Brodjonegoro, said that human activities such as illegal logging, fishing, and polluting the environment have resulted in a decrease in water volume, as well as quality, in lakes. Bambang maintained that the condition of the lakes keeps worsening due to the habits of those who dump rubbish into it.
“When they see a body of water, be it a river or a lake, they simply see it as a rubbish bin and not as something to be protected,” Bambang said during a meeting at the Environment and Forestry Ministry in Jakarta.
The 15 lakes in critical condition are; Lake Rawa Pening in Central Java, Lake Rawa in Banten, Lake Batur in Bali, Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Lake Kerinci in Jambi, Lake Maninjau and Lake Singkarak in West Sumatra, Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi, Lake Cascade Mahakam in Semayang, Lake Melintang and Lake Tondano in North Sulawesi, Lake Tempe and Lake Matano in South Sulawesi, Lake Lomboto in Gorontalo, Lake Sentarum in West Kalimantan, Lake Jempang in East Kalimantan and Lake Sentani in Papua.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Image: The Jakarta Post