Dump mismanagement 'responsible for disaster'<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Mismanagement at the Leuwigajah dump in south Cimahi was to blame
\nfor the collapse of mountains of garbage on Monday, which killed
\nover 55 people and flattened 70 homes, with 101 people still
\nunaccounted for, an official says.<\/p>\n
West Java Environmental Impact Management Agency Director Ade
\nSuhanda said on Wednesday that the chief executives of the
\nBandung and Cimahi municipal, and Bandung regency,
\nadministrations all bore responsibility for the disaster.<\/p>\n
He said his office has formed a team to investigate the cause
\nof the disaster, but initial observations showed the 25.1-hectare
\ndump had not been managed in accordance with the original plan.<\/p>\n
For instance, he said, the dump, which consists of 17 hectares
\nthat accommodates around 5,000 tons of garbage from the seven
\nmillion residents of the three administrations every day, had
\nbeen in use since Feb. 12, 1989, not since 1992 as claimed by the
\nCimahi municipal administration.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, the dump was supposed to have used an integrated
\nsanitary landfill system operated by the three administrations.
\nHowever, this did not work and it was then replaced by surface
\ndumping, which caused a rapid accumulation of garbage,\" Ade said.<\/p>\n
To compound the problem, the way in which the trash was dumped
\ndid nothing to reduce the dangers posed by the mountains of
\ngarbage.<\/p>\n
For instance, he said, vents should have been dug at the bases
\nof the garbage mountains to permit the escape of the methane gas
\nproduced by the rotting trash.<\/p>\n
Moreover, he said, the dump should have had equipment to
\nrecord precipitation so as to provide an early warning of the
\npossibility of collapses. The garbage mountains should also have
\nbeen separated from surrounding residential areas by sturdy
\nwalls.<\/p>\n
\"When we checked, we found there was only one vent to allow
\nthe hazardous methane gas, which is highly explosive, to escape,
\nand the equipment to record precipitation had gone missing.
\nThat's what led to this explosion, which deposited garbage up to
\na kilometer away and buried at least 60 houses,\" Ade said.<\/p>\n
West Java Governor Danny Setiawan also said there had been
\ninadequate supervision at the site. \"There should have been a
\nspecial unit to manage the dump in an integrated manner, from the
\nfoul-smelling waste-water runoff to the dangerous gases,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday, 55 bodies had been recovered from the
\ndisaster scene, while 101 people were still counted as missing as
\nrescuers continued sifting through shattered homes and under the
\ndebris.<\/p>\n
Head of East Batujajar village, Syaeful Bachri, said on
\nWednesday that the missing victims could be presumed dead as the
\n\"families of the missing people have confirmed that their missing
\nrelatives had not been staying in other areas\".<\/p>\n
Worried by the possibility of fresh collapses, a group of
\nvictims in Cilimus and Cireundeu villages said they wanted to
\nbring a class action.<\/p>\n
A resident, 27-year-old Tatang, said he and a number of other
\nresidents were determined to sue those responsible for running
\nthe dump.<\/p>\n
\"This is not fair. We have to suffer because the garbage
\nproduced by millions of other people is being dumped here. We
\nhave long had to put up with the foul-smelling air we have to
\nbreathe and contaminated wells. Now, it seems we also have to
\nsacrifice our lives for them, too,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, the plan was still tentative as many displaced
\nvictims were still living with relatives while some 60 of them
\nwere taking shelter in the Batujajar II elementary school. The
\nschool itself lost 41 of its 415 students.<\/p>\n
The class action plan has been supported by several non-
\ngovernmental organizations active in the environment field. One
\nof them, the Sundanese Forestry and Environment Observers
\nCouncil, which counts former West Java governor Solihin GP as one
\nof its members, offered to hire lawyers to support the residents.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Muryan Faisal
\nsaid on Wednesday the police could not start an investigation
\ninto the case until they received a complaint from affected
\nresidents. \"But, so far no one has reported the case to us, so we
\ncan only wait,\" Muryan said.<\/p>\n
Governor Danny Setiawan said he would be ready to assist the
\nBandung and Cimahi mayors, and the regent of Bandung, if they
\nwere sued. \"Go ahead, we're ready,\" he said shortly.<\/p>",
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