Council opposes plan to build Marunda dump<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto and Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The City Council has stated that it would not approve the city
\nadministration's plan to construct a garbage dump in Marunda in
\nNorth Jakarta due to mounting protests from local residents.<\/p>\n
City Council Deputy Chairman Djafar Badjeber said on Tuesday
\nthat the council would express its formal opposition during their
\nbudget meeting in Puncak, West Java, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Djafar made the statement when meeting 500 representatives of
\nMarunda who held a demonstration in front of the council building
\nto protest over the proposed construction of the 71-hectare
\ngarbage dump in Marunda.<\/p>\n
In the proposed 2002 budget, the Jakarta administration has
\nallocated some Rp 18.25 billion to construct the dump site in
\nMarunda, North Jakarta. The plan has enraged Marunda residents.
\nThey said that the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), which owns the
\nland, had not compensated a number of residents who own some of
\nthe land.<\/p>\n
The protesters also expressed their disappointment because the
\ncouncillors did not visit the planned dump on Jan. 12 as they had
\nearlier promised to residents. The councillors did not give any
\nexplanation as to why they canceled their visit.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of City Council Commission D, which is
\nresponsible for sanitation and garbage collection, Ali Imron
\nHusein reaffirmed Djafar's statement that the commission would
\nreject the government's proposal.<\/p>\n
\"Since the beginning, Commission D has rejected the proposal
\nto build the dump in Marunda. In this case we are of the same
\nopinion (as local residents),\" said Ali.<\/p>\n
The city administration planned to build the Marunda dump due
\nto uncertainty that the 104-hectare dump in Bantar Gebang would
\nremain open until the end of this year.<\/p>\n
Bekasi mayoralty decided to close the dump last Dec. 10 as it
\nclaimed the city administration had failed to prevent
\nenvironmental damage at the dump site and surrounding area. But a
\nweek later, after intervention from the home ministry and the
\nHouse of Representatives, the mayoralty agreed to reopen it until
\nJan. 31 pending compliance by the city administration with new
\nterms, in a new memorandum of understanding. These include the
\ndevelopment of a medical clinic and a clean water pipeline in the
\narea.<\/p>\n
If the city does not agree to the terms in the new MOU then
\nBekasi will close the dump, leaving the city with no option but
\nto seek other alternatives. None of the alternative sites, which
\ninclude Marunda, Tegal Alur in West Jakarta, Ciangir in
\nTangerang, and Bangka island, have been secured as dump sites for
\nthe city's trash of 25,000 cubic meters per day.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of the Jakarta Sanitation Agency Rama Boedhi
\nsaid on Tuesday the administration would go ahead with the plan
\nto construct the Marunda dump, but stressed that it would not be
\nthe only garbage dump for the city.<\/p>\n
He said the city would also continue with its plan to build a
\ndump site in Ciangir in Tangerang and Tegal Alur in West Jakarta,
\nand also study the possibility of dumping its trash on Bangka
\nisland.<\/p>\n
\"Don't consider Marunda as the only garbage dump,\" he said.
\nCommenting on the opposition to construct the dump in Marunda,
\nRama admitted that it was due to lack of promotion of the idea
\namong the people living near the location.<\/p>\n
He also expressed confidence that the Jakarta administration
\nwould be able to sign a new MOU with the Bekasi mayoralty before
\nthe Jan. 31 deadline enabling it to continue using Bantar Gebang
\ndump until 2003.<\/p>",
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