112
T. Neise et al.
enterprises are forced to invest their scarce resources into an adaptation form (i.e.,
elevation) that barely reduce the flood exposure:
Apparently, the government uplifted the road because they want to have a project. So, they
could get money. Actually, we are sad because not all people here can afford to elevate their
property. So, that their property is sinking and the people and businesses becoming the victim
(SS-2).
In Semarang, the industrial park “Lingkungan Industri Kaligawe” (LIK) with a
high number of SMEs in the eastern district Genuk provides an example of lacking
support for the SMEs. For instance, the business director of a food-processing
enterprise (SM-8) mentioned
That’s what I am always asking, why the government neglects the LIK area? The government
is always focusing on developing fancy areas in the city center or new big industrial parks.
Although we have to pay tax every year, the government never maintains this industrial park
well.
Enterprises expressed the poor conditions in LIK. Streets are damaged, the water
canals are clogged, and the access street is often impassable due to tidal floods.
The respondents also stated that neighboring firms went bankrupt due to the floodproneness and the general weak economic conditions (e.g., SM-1; SM-5; SS-8). The
enterprises also do not expect any support from the management of the industrial park.
The management collects money from the tenants, but there is a lack of investment
in the maintenance of the industrial park (e.g., SM-1; SM-4; SM-8). Therefore, the
firms demand support from the government to eliminate the poor infrastructure and
flood exposure.
Usually, the lacking support for flood risk reduction mainly addresses the industrial park management authorities. Like the case of LIK, enterprises located in the
industrial park Terboyo in Genuk complained about the weak action on flood risk
reduction measures. The industrial park authority, under the supervision of the district
government, attempted to reduce the tidal flood exposure by a pump house and a
higher river embankment after several complaints of the enterprises. Also, the main
access road was elevated. However, enterprises are still exposed to tidal floods. Therefore, some enterprises collaborated and elevated the street in front of the property
by their own although they are tenants paying for the maintenance of the industrial
park (e.g., SM-5; SM-13; SS-5). Regarding the bad condition in Genuk the representatives from the spatial planning authority (Interview BAPPEDA Semarang 2017)
mentioned that the governmental authority only cares for the main access road of
the industrial parks in Genuk, but they feel not accountable for the area within the
industrial parks.
The situation in Genuk demonstrates that the SMEs do not receive sufficient
support for flood risk reduction. Instead, they have to rely on their own engagement in
adaptation, preferably as a collaboration on elevating the street level between adjacent
firms. Sound flood governance between the SMEs, the industrial park management
authorities, and the city authority is missing, mainly due to formal regulation on
co-funding of flood mitigation that prevents collaboration between governmental
authorities and the companies (cf. Sect. “Formal Regulations on Flood Governance”).
T. Neise et al.
enterprises are forced to invest their scarce resources into an adaptation form (i.e.,
elevation) that barely reduce the flood exposure:
Apparently, the government uplifted the road because they want to have a project. So, they
could get money. Actually, we are sad because not all people here can afford to elevate their
property. So, that their property is sinking and the people and businesses becoming the victim
(SS-2).
In Semarang, the industrial park “Lingkungan Industri Kaligawe” (LIK) with a
high number of SMEs in the eastern district Genuk provides an example of lacking
support for the SMEs. For instance, the business director of a food-processing
enterprise (SM-8) mentioned
That’s what I am always asking, why the government neglects the LIK area? The government
is always focusing on developing fancy areas in the city center or new big industrial parks.
Although we have to pay tax every year, the government never maintains this industrial park
well.
Enterprises expressed the poor conditions in LIK. Streets are damaged, the water
canals are clogged, and the access street is often impassable due to tidal floods.
The respondents also stated that neighboring firms went bankrupt due to the floodproneness and the general weak economic conditions (e.g., SM-1; SM-5; SS-8). The
enterprises also do not expect any support from the management of the industrial park.
The management collects money from the tenants, but there is a lack of investment
in the maintenance of the industrial park (e.g., SM-1; SM-4; SM-8). Therefore, the
firms demand support from the government to eliminate the poor infrastructure and
flood exposure.
Usually, the lacking support for flood risk reduction mainly addresses the industrial park management authorities. Like the case of LIK, enterprises located in the
industrial park Terboyo in Genuk complained about the weak action on flood risk
reduction measures. The industrial park authority, under the supervision of the district
government, attempted to reduce the tidal flood exposure by a pump house and a
higher river embankment after several complaints of the enterprises. Also, the main
access road was elevated. However, enterprises are still exposed to tidal floods. Therefore, some enterprises collaborated and elevated the street in front of the property
by their own although they are tenants paying for the maintenance of the industrial
park (e.g., SM-5; SM-13; SS-5). Regarding the bad condition in Genuk the representatives from the spatial planning authority (Interview BAPPEDA Semarang 2017)
mentioned that the governmental authority only cares for the main access road of
the industrial parks in Genuk, but they feel not accountable for the area within the
industrial parks.
The situation in Genuk demonstrates that the SMEs do not receive sufficient
support for flood risk reduction. Instead, they have to rely on their own engagement in
adaptation, preferably as a collaboration on elevating the street level between adjacent
firms. Sound flood governance between the SMEs, the industrial park management
authorities, and the city authority is missing, mainly due to formal regulation on
co-funding of flood mitigation that prevents collaboration between governmental
authorities and the companies (cf. Sect. “Formal Regulations on Flood Governance”).