Jakarta, March 21 -- Indonesia's Ministry of Environment has emphasized the need for measures to address issues related to the Ciliwung River Basin, including restructuring the upstream and riverbank areas.

Rasio Ridho Sani, the ministry's Deputy for Environmental Pollution and Damage Control, said on Friday that the recent floods in the river basin were caused by a decline in the river's ability to manage and absorb water.

This decline resulted from land conversion, environmental destruction, pollution, and poor control of riverbank areas.

"The steps that need to be taken to improve the condition of the Ciliwung River Basin include restructuring the upstream area, considering the existence of land conversion in protected areas," he sa...