Spirit to Preserve Pulse of Life

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Visitors carry out activities on the banks of Baduk Tukad, a river in Denpasar, Bali, Sunday (20/10/2019) evening. Denpasar has revitalized the rivers that flow in its territory, including Tukad Badung.

On Sunday (20/10/2019) evening, Tukad Badung in downtown Denpasar, Bali, was filled with joy. The river’s surface reflected the colorful lights. The river is sandwiched by flower gardens, with a water fountain and steps on its banks for people to relax on.

Australian tourist Loynne was taking pictures of the park and river that went through Jl. Gajah Mada. Tukad Badung River is sandwiched between two major markets, namely Badung and Kumbasari. “The river has a beautiful landscape. I hear President Jokowi once sat on the riverbank,” Lyonee said.

Two Belgian tourists, Tanya and Erwin, shared Loynne’s sentiment. They were accompanied by local tour guide Wayan Zaenal on a stroll through Kumbasari Market. Then, they took the 18-meter-long bridge across Tukad Badung to reach Badung Market. “We asked him to take us to Badung Market to see the activities and the clean river. This is interesting. The market is unique and crowded and the river is clean,” Tanya said.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Tukad Bindu, a river in Kesiman village, East Denpasar district, Denpasar city, Bali, has been revitalized as a gathering place and learning park as well as a playground for the community. Tukad Bindu was visited by junior high school students in Denpasar on Friday (11/10/2019).

Tukad Badung used to be dirty and neglected, before it was revitalized and its cleanliness maintained. The river’s transformation has attracted locals and tourists to visit, sit down, relax and take selfies.

Revitalization

Another river that has went through a similar transformation is Tukad Bindu in Kesiman subdistrict, East Denpasar district.

On Friday (11/10), the Taman Jati (teak garden) area, a green public space on the banks of Tukad Bindu, was crowded with students from SMP 10 Denpasar and SMP PGRI 6 Denpasar middle schools.

SMP PGRI 6 Denpasar deputy principal for curriculum I Made Sudiarta said the students visited Tukad BIndu to learn about the river and its functions for local communities.

Tukad Bindu has a dam that regulates irrigation. It is also used for a gathering spot, for bathing and a water source.

SMP 10 Denpasar eighth grade students Devi and Aurelia, both 13, were busily taking notes of their observations along the riverbank. “Tukad Bindu has a dam that regulates irrigation. It is also used for a gathering spot, for bathing and a water source,” Devi said.

“Our teachers tasked us to write down our observations,” Devi said. “The place is cool. It has many trees and the river is clean,” Aurelia.

Tukad Bindu Foundation supervisor I Gusti Rai Ari Temaja said Tukad Bindu and Taman Jati were learning grounds for everyone, including students, academics and government officials. “We are glad

and proud that Tukad Bindu has an educational function,” said Ari Temaja, or Gungnik as his friends call him.

Tukad BIndu, which flows from Dam Oongan in North Denpasar, is famed as a clean, community-managed urban river area. The river is internationally famous and was once visited by delegations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meeting, including World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva in October 2018.

Tukad Bindu’s appearance today is far different from how it looked in 2010. At the time, the 1-kilometer river was neglected and full of trash. Gungnik said Tukad Bindu before 2010 was known for being resem (dirty) and serem (scary). This is despite rivers being the pulse of life. Its water is used for bathing and fulfilling daily needs.

Gungnik said that, in 2010, Tukad Bindu and its banks were cleaned and organized. As neighborhood head, Gungnik established a clean river program. He asked local community figures and village leaders around Tukad Bindu to work together to maintain the river’s cleanliness.

Currently, Tukad Bindu’s water is still brown and murky but there is almost no waste floating around.

Catalyst

The awareness of locals around Tukad Bindu to take care of the river is in line with the Denpasar administration’s spirit to revitalize rivers going through the Bali provincial capital.

Denpasar Environment and Hygiene Agency head I Ketut Wisada said the government acted as a catalyst in accelerating river hygiene and beautification programs. The drivers and implementers are locals around the river.

Wisada said Tukad Bindu’s cleanliness and community volunteers had wide-ranging impact.

Locals’ initiative and innovation in maintaining cleanliness and revitalizing Tukad Bindu, as well as the city administration’s support for the program, was gaining appreciation. This includes the national award of top five river-aware communities from the Public Works and Housing Ministry’s Water Resources Directorate Generall in 2017.

It was also included in the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry’s Top 45 national Public Service Innovations in 2019.

Locals’ innovation program to beautify the river by protecting the environment and nature in Tukad Bindu (Senyum Melia di Tubin) was named among the Top 99 National Public Service Innovations in 2019. It was also included in the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry’s Top 45 national Public Service Innovations in 2019.

The positive aura emanating from the spirit of locals around Tukad Bindu has also spread to the surrounding neighborhoods. Kesiman subdistrict head I Gusti Ayu Made Suryani said that Tukad Bindu’s transformation was a source of inspiration for the administrators and people of Kesiman, which has several rivers such as Tukad Pendem, to maintain these rivers.