Jakarta garbage crisis may last four-months<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso called on residents of the capital to
\nbe tolerant of garbage that is likely to pile up in every corner
\nof the city for another four months amid a lingering standoff
\nbetween the Jakarta administration and Bekasi municipality over
\nuse of the 104-hectare Bantar Gebang dump.<\/p>\n
"I hope Bekasi can settle its internal problems within four
\nmonths at the outside," said Sutiyoso, adding that his
\nadministration would await a final decision from Bekasi on
\nwhether or not it would allow Jakarta to dump its trash at Bantar
\nGebang.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has already started to dump its 6,000 tons of daily
\nwaste at alternative dumps located in the city. All waste is
\ndeposited in open dumps.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso played down fears that open dumps might damage the
\nenvironment, saying, "this will not be for long. We have
\nanticipated the problem; it's simply an emergency situation."<\/p>\n
Jakarta administration spokesman Muhayat said "open dumping
\nwould be dangerous only if it were carried on for years, but it
\nwill pose no harm (to the environment) if it is done for a short
\ntime".<\/p>\n
Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan
\nblasted statements from Sutiyoso and Muhayat as an unscrupulous
\nmove that indicated the administration's blatant ignorance
\nregarding environmental issues.<\/p>\n
"I can't imagine what will happen to the city if waste is
\nallowed to pile up, littering every corner of the city for four
\nmonths," he said.<\/p>\n
Tigor recalled the stink when Jakarta's waste was left
\nuncollected in the capital's streets at the end of 2001.<\/p>\n
At that time, Bekasi temporarily closed down Bantar Gebang for
\nseveral weeks, arguing that Jakarta's waste had caused
\nenvironmental damage and endangered public health.<\/p>\n
"The waste crisis is simply a reflection of the
\nadministration's failure to manage its trash ... The office of
\nthe state minister of the environment must warn the city
\nadministration over its failure to manage the waste," Tigor said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta and Bekasi have been in a tug-of-war over the use of
\nBantar Gebang following a facsimile from Bekasi deputy mayor
\nMochtar Mohamad, which said that as of Jan. 1 Bekasi municipality
\nwas taking over waste management at Bantar Gebang and would
\nimpose a fee on each ton of garbage dumped.<\/p>\n
The fax seems to have angered Sutiyoso, who had signed a
\nmemorandum of understanding on Dec. 22 with the Bekasi mayor
\nregarding a contract for extended use of the dump. The fax, dated
\nDec. 31, annulled the contract and at the same time proposed new
\nconditions for Jakarta, including a Rp 85,000 (US$10) fee for
\neach ton of garbage dumped by Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the fax, Sutiyoso closed down Bantar Gebang on
\nSunday, claiming that the dump, located in Ciketing, Sumur Batu
\nand Cikiwul subdistricts, was owned by the Jakarta
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said, however, that his administration was still
\nhoping for a decision from Bekasi. He also encouraged would-be
\ninvestors, who have lodged waste management proposals with the
\nadministration, to come forward and discuss their proposed
\nprojects.<\/p>\n
"I have told Pak Suena (the newly installed assistant for the
\ncity secretary for development affairs) to choose investors who
\nare genuinely willing to invest in waste management and have the
\nmoney to realize their projects," he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso revealed that his administration might go ahead with
\nthe development of a waste dump in Bojong, Bogor regency, as an
\nalternative dump for Jakarta in "the coming months".<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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