Residents call for closure of garbage dump<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung<\/p>\n
Residents of Bakung, Kuripan and Kateguhan villages in West
\nTelukbetung district, Lampung, are urging local authorities to
\nclose down a nearby garbage dump due to health concerns.<\/p>\n
They alleged that the dump, located just 600 meters from their
\nhomes, had contaminated up to 60 percent of public wells and was
\nthe source of thick smoke from the burning of garbage.<\/p>\n
\"I have to spend Rp 125,000 to buy clean water every month.
\nFor us this is big money as my husband is only a laborer,\" said
\nMrs. Ridwan, 40, of Bakung village.<\/p>\n
She said she had not been able to use water from her artesian
\nwell since 2002 as it was badly contaminated. Since then, she has
\nbeen forced to buy at least 25 liters of clean water every day.<\/p>\n
\"Malaria, coughs, and skin rashes are common illnesses around
\nhere. Look at my hands, these red spots are the result of a skin
\nrash. We still use the groundwater for bathing although we know
\nthat it is contaminated,\" Budi, a Bakung resident, said.<\/p>\n
Flies are legion around the 13-hectare dump.<\/p>\n
\"We want the dump to be closed down as it has become a source
\nof disease and pollution,\" said Ahmad, 36, of Kuripan village.<\/p>\n
Local residents have set a deadline of one month for the
\nBandar Lampung authorities to resolve the problem. Any failure to
\ndo so would force the residents to forcibly close the dump, they
\nsay.<\/p>\n
Built in 1992, the dump receives some 1,644 cubic meters of
\ngarbage everyday from the provincial capital Bandar Lampung and
\nits surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Bandar Lampung Mayor Suharto, however, played down the
\ncomplaints of the local people and insisted that the dump would
\ncontinue to be used for the next five years.<\/p>\n
He said that it would take time for the administration to
\nacquire land and obtain the necessary funds for the construction
\nof a new garbage dump for the city.<\/p>\n
Bandar Lampung Sanitary Office director Khasrian Anwar said
\nthere were no plans to build a new garbage dump at the present
\ntime as the Bakung dump was designed to have a life of 10 years.<\/p>\n
\"We do have plans to build small-scale garbage dumps in a
\nnumber of districts, but it is impossible to relocate the Bakung
\ndump right now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Khasrian also promised to deploy four fire trucks and an
\nexcavator to deal with the smoke problem. He said that 50
\ntruckloads of soil would be needed to cover up the burning
\ngarbage and that the work would be finished within a week.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, however, the smoke was still thick, resulting
\nin eye irritations among residents.<\/p>\n
\"We can manage the fly problem, but we cannot cope with the
\nclean water problem or replace the dead trees as this is beyond
\nour jurisdiction,\" Khasrian claimed.<\/p>\n
Khasrian said that the Bakung dump had been built to
\ninternational standards and was originally located far from
\nresidential areas.<\/p>\n
\"But, now residential areas have encroached on the dump so it
\nlooks like that the dump was built near them,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-call-for-closure-of-garbage-dump-1447893297",
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