TEMPO.CO, Rotterdam - Over the years, the Netherlands has carried out endless efforts to combat floods, as stated by Melaine Schultz, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment in front of Indonesian delegates led by Vice President Budiono at the Maeslant Barrier, Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam. "It is the never ending battle," she said.

Minister Schultz was accompanied by several experts on water management that had been actively involved in helping Jakarta to solve flood problem. Among the experts were Deputy Director of Water Business and International Water Affairs Willem Mak, and Urban Water Professor Piet Dircke.

Schultz and the two experts explained some of the efforts that have been carried out by the country to protect its citizens from flood, including the Delta Works. One of the most known Delta Works project is the Maeslantkering Barrier, a massive storm surge barrier stretched along the port of Rotterdam. The barrier, inaugurated by Queen Beatrix on March 10, 1997, was nominated as one of the world's modern seven wonders by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Flood has been Netherland's worst nightmare for centuries. Back in 1953, a massive flood in the northern part of the country drowns 55 percent of the nation below sea-level, as well as killing 1,836 people. Since then, the Dutch government was determined to protect the country and its citizens from the dangers of flood. "We spent one billion Euros to mitigate flood," Willem Mak told Tempo. "And we will keep searching all the weak spots in the nation, reinforcing them."

Delta Works, according to Willem Mak, consists of five aspects: the Delta Program, the Delta Law, the Delta Fund, the Delta Commissioner and the Delta Decision. The main objective of the project is to protect the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt river delta from sea waves by constructing dam and storm surge barriers.

HERMIEN Y. KLEDEN (Rotterdam)