Bali’s Lake Batur is one of the polluted lakes that need to be cleaned up: Ministry of Environment

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NUSA Dua, Bali (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is working to control water pollution in Lake Batur in Bali’s Bangli district as the lake is one of the 15 critical lakes in the country.

“Why are these 15 lakes a priority? It’s because their condition is critical,” said Inge Retnowati, director of land, water and mangrove restoration at the ministry, at the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) in Nusa Dua, Bali. Said during the gap. Thursday.

While she did not provide details on the current level of pollution in Lake Batur, the region’s largest lake, she stressed the need to improve water pollution control, both in the lake itself and in the catchment areas surrounding it.

Retnovati said agricultural or fishing activities in the lake could cause water pollution.

Pollution in lake catchments can also be caused by household activities.

Everything in the catchment spills into the lake, including pollutants and sediment erosion, which causes the lake to become shallower.

Activities in lakes must be controlled to ensure that water quality does not deteriorate, as witnessed in Lake Batur.

Lakes are also important sources of water for drinking, agriculture, fisheries, transportation and energy, used not only by humans but also by plants and animals.

Therefore, comprehensive spatial planning of the boundaries and activities of the lake area and catchment is needed, Retnovati said.

“There is nothing wrong in carrying out activities in catchments and water bodies. However, these activities need to be done in an environmentally friendly manner and managed sustainably,” she explained.

Under Presidential Regulation No. 60 of 2020 on the Protection of National Priority Lakes, the government is currently focusing on protecting 15 priority lakes in Indonesia, including Lake Batur.

Indonesia has about 2,000 lakes, and the government still needs to conduct further assessments to determine the status of all the lakes.

During the 10th World Water Forum, Indonesia’s proposal to establish a World Lakes Day was approved as part of the forum’s ministerial declaration.

However, Retnovati stressed that World Lake Day is not just a celebration, but also to emphasize and remind people the importance of lake management.

“Lake Day was created to remind us that we need more precise action and more concrete commitments,” she said.

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