Once pristine beach ravaged by development<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Early in the 1970s, many local families spent
\ntheir weekend at Cilincing beach in North Jakarta. These days, it
\nis a slum, and nothing more than a place to dump garbage.<\/p>\n
Cilincing was once a popular leisure destination in the city,
\nwith its beautiful beach and fishponds luring families to lounge
\nand fish for hours on end.<\/p>\n
With its endless rows of coconut trees, Cilincing was then
\nknown for kopyor (a coconut drink), which featured a softer,
\ntastier coconut meat mixed in with the juice.<\/p>\n
The panoramic beach, pond and the kopyor drink have all
\ndisappeared now. Instead, there are only traditional fishing
\nboats berthed on black water off the beach, which is piled high
\nwith garbage and sand.<\/p>\n
"The present Cilincing does not have the pride it used to. Its
\npast beauty is now a memory," a local, Yusuf Amin, 60, told The
\nJakarta Post from his home near the Cilincing-Cakung Drain river.<\/p>\n
Yusuf, the former chief of Cilincing and Kalibaru districts,
\nsaid the beach had been popular among Jakarta families from the
\ncolonial times until the late 1970s.<\/p>\n
He said up until the early 1970s, visitors could enjoy
\nwonderful coral reefs and biota in clean water, while enjoying a
\ncool kopyor.<\/p>\n
The beach was also surrounded by countless fishponds spread
\nover several hectares. They were owned by two Chinese locals, Oei
\nBook Hiem and Oei Pek Sanwho, who did not speak Chinese.<\/p>\n
He added that Cilincing used to have a Tuesday market, but it
\ndisappeared due to competition from modern stores nearby.<\/p>\n
Yusuf said the beach's popularity began to fade in the late
\n1970s when the city administration, with support from private
\ninvestors, opened Jaya Ancol Dreamland at nearby Ancol beach,
\nalso in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Cilincing beach suffered more problems when the sand was
\nremoved for building material to meet the increasing demand for
\nland by the city's developers.<\/p>\n
"As a result of taking the sand, there was no more beach left.
\nAnd the waves also gradually eroded the land along the beach," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Many fishing boats arriving at the beach after catching fish
\nin the Java sea dumped their waste there. In addition, poor
\npeople living along the beach also dumped garbage along the
\nbeach.<\/p>\n
"They were all poor people who could never take care of the
\nenvironment," Jusuf said, adding that Cilincing fishermen earned
\nan average of Rp 500,000 (US$45.50) a month.<\/p>\n
According to the head of Cilincing subdistrict, Mudiono
\nTugiman, the area along the beach, which used to be a vast open
\narea with fishponds, turned into a residential slum following an
\ninflux of migrant fishermen from all over the country.<\/p>\n
Mudiono said the increasing number of migrants also affected
\nthe beauty of three rivers which flow to the beach, namely the
\nCakung Drain, Banglio and Old Cakung rivers.<\/p>\n
There was no longer any greenery along the riverbanks. Instead
\nfishermen took over by residing in the area. More people moved to
\nlive along the banks of the three rivers following the city
\nadministration's decision to ban fishing in nearby Kresek river.<\/p>\n
Because of an increase in daily activity along the riverbanks,
\nthe rivers became shallow and the water turned black.<\/p>\n
"The rivers which used to flow into the fishponds are too
\npolluted. So it is impossible for milk fish to survive in the
\ndirty water. The area with so many fishponds has gradually turned
\ninto housing complexes or factories," Mudiono said.<\/p>\n
With all these problems, Mudiono said, it would be impossible
\nto restore Cilincing's past glory as a place to relax for
\nJakarta's families, unless a miracle happened. But both Budiono
\nand Yusuf do not believe miracles can turn Cilincing into the
\ncity's recreational beachfront. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/once-pristine-beach-ravaged-by-development-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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