Governor Seeks Public Support For Lake Limboto Revitalization

Gorontalo, Oct 7 (Antara) - Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie has called on the local community to put in efforts to support the revitalization of Lake Limboto, whose condition is increasingly critical. "The revitalization effort for the lake is in keeping with the people`s interests and their welfare, and therefore, they need to support it," the governor noted here on Tuesday. Rusli emphasized that the people should support the revitalization effort by not hindering the construction of an embankment around the lake and a sluice gate for controlling the flow of water in and out of the lake. According to him, the embankment and sluice gate will also help to prevent floods, which frequently hit Gorontalo during the rainy season. The Gorontalo governor revealed that the depth of the lake is steadily decreasing, and hence, it needs to be dredged on a regular basis. "And thus, the revitalization process is intended to improve the condition of the lake in the future," he noted, adding that the central government, through the Ministry of Public Works, has allocated Rp150 billion of funds to restore the lake. He added that the funds will be utilized for sediment dredging, sluice-making, and the construction of dykes around Lake Limboto.