Tangerang rejects plan for dump<\/p>\n
TANGERANG (JP): The local administration made clear on
\nSaturday its opposition to Jakarta's plan to build a garbage dump
\nin Ciangir village here to replace the dump in Bantar Gebang,
\nBekasi.<\/p>\n
"We simply do not want Ciangir to turn into the Bantar Gebang
\ngarbage dump.<\/p>\n
"We just do not want all the trouble caused by the garbage
\nfrom Jakarta," Tangerang regency administration secretary Ismet
\nIskandar said.<\/p>\n
Bekasi is located east of Jakarta, while Tangerang is located
\nto the west.<\/p>\n
Fearing the same type of environmental damage and pollution
\ncaused by the Bantar Gebang dump, Tangerang residents and
\ncouncilors have been vocal in their opposition to Jakarta's plan
\nto build a dump in Ciangir.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration reportedly has secured 80 of the
\n100 hectares needed for the dump in Ciangir, which is located in
\nthe district of Legok. Fifteen hectares of this land would serve
\nas the entrance road and connecting roads for the dump.<\/p>\n
Ismet, however, said the Jakarta municipality could not simply
\nforce its plan through and turn the land into a garbage dump
\nwithout the permission of the authorities and residents of
\nTangerang.<\/p>\n
"It's the Tangerang administration, not Jakarta, which has
\nauthority over the site," he said.<\/p>\n
Ismet suggested Jakarta reconsider its plan and make other use
\nof the land it had already purchased for the dump.<\/p>\n
"It's up to them (Jakarta authorities) to decide. They may
\ndevelop the area into a housing complex or sell it to prospective
\ninvestors.<\/p>\n
"But don't turn the site into a garbage dump," he said.<\/p>\n
"I think it's inappropriate for Tangerang to be Jakarta's
\ngarbage den, especially when the city (Tangerang) is developing
\nfast," he added.<\/p>\n
Ismet said his office had yet to receive the complete proposal
\non the garbage dump from the Jakarta administration.<\/p>\n
Rice fields<\/p>\n
The site proposed as the new dump for tons of trash from
\nJakarta is currently home to numerous rice fields.<\/p>\n
Cimaceri River, which also runs through the site, is the main
\nsource of water for Tangerang's tap water company.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Sanitation Agency, which is in charge of the
\nproposal, reportedly bought the land from locals at between Rp
\n2,500 (35 US cents) and Rp 3,000 per square meter.<\/p>\n
Ciangir community leader Halimi said locals were forced to
\nsell their land cheaply because the dump proposal was classified
\nas a government project for the benefit of the public.<\/p>\n
"The residents had no choice but to agree to the offer,"
\nHalimi, 50, said, adding that the land was still being cultivated
\nby local residents.<\/p>\n
Aware of the Tangerang administration's opposition to the
\nplanned dump, former land owners have said they will demand
\nhigher compensation from the Jakarta administration if it uses
\nthe land for purposes other than the dump.<\/p>\n
"If we knew the land would be used for other projects, such as
\nreal estate development, we would not have sold it that cheap,"
\nlocal resident Syarif said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration indicated it was
\nconsidering canceling the planned construction of the garbage
\ndump in Ciangir after questions were raised about the viability
\nof the plan.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso said last September "the opening of a new
\ngarbage dump will only move the same problems from Bekasi to
\nTangerang".<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration has decided to allocate Rp 10
\nbillion for the renovation of the Bantar Gebang dump, which was
\ndesigned to hold Jakarta's 23,000 cubic meters of garbage per day
\nuntil 2004. (41\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tangerang-rejects-plan-for-dump-1447893297",
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