Residents challenge plan to reopen dump<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Bekasi residents were livid over a plan to possibly reopen
\nBantar Gebang dump, because they do not have faith in the City
\nadministration's willingness, integrity or ability to manage the
\nwaste disposal site effectively.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration, and particularly the sanitation
\nagency broke several promises to Bekasi in recent years. It was
\nagreed upon that Jakarta would properly manage the trash, closely
\nmonitor environmental impacts and provide medical services to
\nresidents suffering the ill effects of close proximity to the
\nsite.<\/p>\n
None of these promises were fulfilled, or apparently even
\nattempted. As a result, the residents are extremely skeptical
\ntowards any of the administration's intentions.<\/p>\n
\"I would much prefer the site to be permanently closed. It
\nbrings nothing but trouble.. the Jakarta administration is
\ninconsistent with their own promises,\" said Ahmad Irsan, who has
\nbeen living in the Bantar Gebang area for around 10 years.<\/p>\n
After a long dispute between Bekasi and the Jakarta
\nadministration, Bantar Gebang was closed on Monday, with nearby
\nresidents torching two garbage trucks and damaging several others
\nthat were attempting to dump their trash at the location.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, however, after a meeting between the two
\nadministrations at the ministry of home affairs, Bekasi
\napparently softened its stance and Jakarta may be able to resume
\ndumping at the location upon certain conditions. It was not
\ndecided that the dump would be definitely reopened, however,
\nnegotiations were continuing with councillors from both
\nadministrations seen visiting the dump on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Bekasi administration had used the councillors' and
\nresidents' objection to the widespread environmental damages in
\ntheir battle with Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The disease, the abhorrent odor and the polluted ground
\nwater... need I say more?,\" said one housewife, Nursanti, when
\nasked about her concerns over the possibility of reopening Bantar
\nGebang.<\/p>\n
Another resident, also vehemently objecting to the plan,
\nargued that Jakarta would be incapable of properly managing the
\ndump without overlooking all the environmental issues.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps we (the residents) should stage a mass protest at the
\nBekasi council office to stress our objection to the reopening,\"
\nsaid Mardani Cholid.<\/p>\n
The 104-hectare dump site was opened in 1986, and was intended
\nto be managed as an environmentally stable landfill system.
\nInstead, thousands of cubic meters of garbage had been simply
\ndumped and piled up in the open, causing all the problems.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-challenge-plan-to-reopen-dump-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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