Jakarta opens talks with Bekasi over Bantar Gebang<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Following mounting protest from Bojong residents over Jakarta
\nadministration's plans to build a garbage treatment facility
\nthere, Governor Sutiyoso opened talks with Bekasi Mayor Ahmad
\nZulfaih on the possible extension of the Bantar Gebang dump site
\nagreement to facilitate the capital's daily 6,000 tons of trash.<\/p>\n
\"Before we process the garbage it will be dumped there (Bantar
\nGebang),\" Sutiyoso told the press before meeting with Achmad at
\nCity Hall on Friday.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso corrected his earlier statement that the dump site
\nwould be closed in December and not be able to handle even
\nBekasi's garbage.<\/p>\n
His statement was the first confession that his administration
\nwas not ready to handle the city's daily garbage flow should the
\nBantar Gebang dump site close.<\/p>\n
City officials previously claimed that the administration had
\nanticipated the possible closure of the dump site, saying that
\nthey already prepared several alternative sites, including one in
\nBojong village, Bogor; one in Duri Kosambi, West Jakarta, and one
\non Jl. Cakung Cilincing, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
But the facilities in Duri Kosambi and on Jl. Cakung Cilincing
\nwere clearly not ready at all.<\/p>\n
The site in Bojong -- owned by private firm PT Wira Gulfindo
\nSarana -- with a daily capacity of 1,500 tons has been strongly
\nrejected by residents.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday thousands of residents of Bojong and surrounding
\nvillages staged a protest in front of the Bogor regency council
\nrejecting the planned garbage facility. They feared that the area
\nwould suffer environmental damage as was caused by the Bantar
\nGebang garbage dump.<\/p>\n
It is not clear whether Sutiyoso's meeting with Mayor Achmad
\nwas a consequence of the residents' protest.<\/p>\n
The agreement between Jakarta and Bekasi on the Bantar Gebang
\ngarbage dump, located in the Bekasi municipality, will expire in
\nDecember, this year.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Achmad claimed the agreement to extend the
\nuse of Bantar Gebang had not been decided but an independent team
\n-- comprising of representatives from the Jakarta and Bekasi
\nmunicipalities -- would be set up to clarify the issue.<\/p>\n
He also refused to comment on whether the Bekasi municipality
\nwould be compensated should the agreement be extended.<\/p>\n
\"These problems will be discussed by the team, we hope that
\nthe results will be known within two weeks,\" Achmad said.<\/p>\n
He added his administration has prepared 10 hectares of land
\n-- to accommodate the 1,000 tons of garbage produced by Bekasi
\nresidents -- in anticipation of the possible closure of Bantar
\nGebang garbage dump.<\/p>\n
In December 2001, Bekasi municipality closed Bantar Gebang
\ndump site due to environmental damage to the surrounding area.<\/p>\n
But the Bekasi municipality reopened the dump after
\nintervention from President Megawati Soekarnoputri and State
\nMinister for Environment Nabiel Makarim.<\/p>\n
As part of the reopening Jakarta agreed to provide Rp 14
\nbillion (US$1.4 million) to build various facilities, including a
\ncommunity health center, and a water pipeline in the three
\nvillages of Bantar Gebang district: Ciketing Udik, Cikiwul and
\nSumur Batu.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-opens-talks-with-bekasi-over-bantar-gebang-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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