Fish farmers irate over pollution emanating from new dump<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Aquaculturist Asmawi, 50, sat next to his three-hectare fish farm
\nlocated near the newly opened dump in Cilincing, North Jakarta,
\nstaring into the now empty ponds.<\/p>\n
\"How could I not be sad? Liquid waste from the dump has killed
\nall my shrimp and milkfish. Now, I must bury my dream of raking
\nin over Rp 20 million (US$2,380) from the farm at harvest time,\"
\nAsmawi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He is among dozens of fish farmers whose business has been
\naffected by the dump which was opened on Jan. 5 by the city
\nadministration, following the closure of a 104-hectare dump in
\nBantar Gebang, Bekasi municipality, a day earlier.<\/p>\n
The fish farmers just placed the fry in the farms two months
\nago and expected a big harvest next month.<\/p>\n
The Post observed that putrid black liquid from the dump had
\nrun through the 15-hectare swampy fish farms through the canals
\nbuilt in the center of the ponds. The liquid waste killed all the
\nshrimp and fish, including mujair fish which usually are less
\naffected by pollutants.<\/p>\n
The stench of the liquid waste could be smelled up to a radius
\nof six kilometers from the area.<\/p>\n
Another fish farmer, Nur Soleh, 25, said that he had spent
\nsome Rp 1.1 million on the fry. \"I hope the city administration
\nwill compensate me for all my losses and my expected Rp 15
\nmillion profit.\"<\/p>\n
According to Asmawi, an official from the Jakarta Livestock,
\nFisheries, and Maritime Agency, had come to the fish farms to
\ntake a sample of the dead fish and polluted water.<\/p>\n
Asmawi expressed disappointment over Governor Sutiyoso's
\ncomment he read in a daily, which quoted him as saying that fish
\nfarmers had lied about the polluted fish farms. \"The governor
\nshould come here so that he can see for himself that our fish
\nreally are dead.\"<\/p>\n
Compared to the Bantar Gebang dump which used the sanitary
\nlandfill system, environmental damage resulting from Cilincing
\ndump is much worse because the garbage is piled high on open land
\nwithout being processed. Moreover, Cilincing dump is located on a
\nwetland which easily absorbs and spreads liquid waste to the
\nsurrounding areas.<\/p>\n
The administration plans to use the dump for four months,
\nclaiming that it requires no special waste management as it is
\nonly temporary. Meanwhile, the garbage mound has now reached
\nnearly 10-meters high, spreading a stench in all directions.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fish-farmers-irate-over-pollution-emanating-from-new-dump-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}