'City must empower scavengers'<\/p>\n
The on-and-off dispute between the Jakarta and Bekasi
\nadministrations finally ended with Bekasi refusing to extend the
\nuse of the Bantar Gebang dump site. The City Sanitation Agency
\nhas only prepared a waste treatment facility in Bogor but its
\nexistence has been opposed by locals. The Jakarta Post asked some
\npeople about the possibility of a repeat of the 2001 waste
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Iyus, 29, is a security officer who works in West Jakarta. He
\nlives in Karet, South Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:<\/p>\n
Household waste must not be treated as a trouble-free problem.
\nThis is indeed a very serious problem for city residents like us.
\nIt's sad to see that many people are indifferent to this issue.<\/p>\n
I think it's the right time for the governor to lure investors
\nto recycle the city's garbage. The recycled waste could result in
\nfertilizers that will benefit the city in terms of revenue.<\/p>\n
The city administration and all residents must also empower
\nthe scavengers. The capital is in dire need of them.<\/p>\n
People should no longer look down on scavengers because they
\nhelp us in recycling the city's garbage as there will be no dump
\nsite available in the meantime.<\/p>\n
Empowering scavengers will minimize the problems and at the
\nsame time raise their welfare. This could be effective but it's
\nonly a temporary solution, I guess.<\/p>\n
I can say this because I come from a scavenger family in West
\nJava. We are pretty wealthy from this trash business.<\/p>\n
Warto, 34, is an office boy with a company in Central
\nJakarta. He lives in Grogol, West Jakarta, with his wife
\nand daughter:<\/p>\n
I know nothing about the closure of Bantar Gebang. I know that
\nwaste is a very serious problem.<\/p>\n
The administration is facing a dilemma in dealing with waste
\nbecause it's impossible to reduce the daily volume, right?<\/p>\n
It's confusing. If residents are encouraged to burn the waste,
\nthe smoke and smell will surely worsen the already-polluted air
\nin Jakarta.<\/p>\n
If it is not burned, the daily garbage will be piling up day
\nby day in many places in the city. And it will be very annoying.<\/p>\n
Worse still, I'm sad to observe that most residents remain
\nunaware of the consequences of this garbage problem.<\/p>\n
We see everyday how people still dump their waste carelessly.
\nI hate to see it but I can do nothing to stop them.<\/p>\n
I think the only possible way forward for the administration
\nis to have a public campaign on how to dump household waste but
\nstill keep our environment clean.<\/p>\n
Alfi, 30, not her real name, is a housewife living in Cipulir,
\nSouth Jakarta, with her family:<\/p>\n
Garbage is a very serious problem for the city residents. I
\ncan't imagine if someday thousands of tons of waste pile up on
\nthe streets everyday.<\/p>\n
I think it will be the time for people to learn to care about
\ntheir environment. Most urban people have poor awareness in
\ndumping their waste.<\/p>\n
I personally support recycling effort. All residents must sort
\nout their waste to help ease the recycling process. The
\nadministration must launch education campaigns about this crucial
\nissue to minimize the problem.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-must-empower-scavengers-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }