Bantar Gebang dump site reopened<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Bekasi mayoralty finally agreed to reopen the Bantar Gebang
\ndump on Saturday, allowing the Jakarta administration a one-month
\ngrace period, pending agreement on a new memorandum of
\nunderstanding between the two administrations.<\/p>\n
During that month the Bekasi authorities will renegotiate
\nterms with Jakarta, but should Governor Sutiyoso's administration
\nfail to improve conditions at the location, Bekasi will again
\nclose Bantar Gebang on Feb. 1, 2002.<\/p>\n
Spokesman of the Jakarta city administration, Muhayat, said
\nBekasi had asked for improvements at the site, such as proper
\nmanagement of the sanitary landfill system, the building of
\nsewerage to channel leachate from the garbage and the provision
\nof medical care for residents.<\/p>\n
According to the spokesman, the Bekasi mayoralty and
\ncouncillors, who had recommended closure of the dump, agreed to
\nreopen it in order to save the image of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Bantar Gebang, which has served as Jakarta's garbage dumpsite
\nsince 1986, was closed on Monday after widespread protest from
\nBekasi residents about environmental damage the site had caused.<\/p>\n
Even though the dump was closed for less than a week, it was
\nenough to make Sutiyoso panic and become confused as to where to
\ndispose of the more than 25,000 cubic meters, or 6,000 tons of
\nhousehold garbage that was produced daily by the city.<\/p>\n
During the past week, garbage piled up all over the city as it
\nwas not taken away by garbage collectors, who had not been given
\nan alternative dumpsite location by the City Sanitation Agency.<\/p>\n
Garbage could be seen everywhere, stacked at traditional
\nmarkets, streets, and residential areas.<\/p>\n
\"The emergency is over; now it is a matter of clearing the
\ngarbage,\" Muhayat said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
However, trash was still scattered over parts of the city on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Rain, which hit Jakarta over the past few days, made the
\nsituation worse as the unpleasant smell become even stronger.<\/p>\n
Before Bantar Gebang was closed, most of the city's trash was
\ntaken to the dump, while the rest, about 2,000 cubic meters, were
\nleft in situ.<\/p>\n
The decision to reopen the dump was made after Sutiyoso,
\naccompanied by a number of officials from the Ministry of Home
\nAffairs, met with officials of the Bekasi mayoralty and with
\nBekasi councillors on Friday evening. The meeting lasted from 8
\np.m. to 11 p.m.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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