Bantar Gebang dump site reopened

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Bekasi mayoralty finally agreed to reopen the Bantar Gebang dump on Saturday, allowing the Jakarta administration a one-month grace period, pending agreement on a new memorandum of understanding between the two administrations.

During that month the Bekasi authorities will renegotiate terms with Jakarta, but should Governor Sutiyoso's administration fail to improve conditions at the location, Bekasi will again close Bantar Gebang on Feb. 1, 2002.

Spokesman of the Jakarta city administration, Muhayat, said Bekasi had asked for improvements at the site, such as proper management of the sanitary landfill system, the building of sewerage to channel leachate from the garbage and the provision of medical care for residents.

According to the spokesman, the Bekasi mayoralty and councillors, who had recommended closure of the dump, agreed to reopen it in order to save the image of Jakarta.

Bantar Gebang, which has served as Jakarta's garbage dumpsite since 1986, was closed on Monday after widespread protest from Bekasi residents about environmental damage the site had caused.

Even though the dump was closed for less than a week, it was enough to make Sutiyoso panic and become confused as to where to dispose of the more than 25,000 cubic meters, or 6,000 tons of household garbage that was produced daily by the city.

During the past week, garbage piled up all over the city as it was not taken away by garbage collectors, who had not been given an alternative dumpsite location by the City Sanitation Agency.

Garbage could be seen everywhere, stacked at traditional markets, streets, and residential areas.

"The emergency is over; now it is a matter of clearing the garbage," Muhayat said, as quoted by Antara.

However, trash was still scattered over parts of the city on Monday.

Rain, which hit Jakarta over the past few days, made the situation worse as the unpleasant smell become even stronger.

Before Bantar Gebang was closed, most of the city's trash was taken to the dump, while the rest, about 2,000 cubic meters, were left in situ.

The decision to reopen the dump was made after Sutiyoso, accompanied by a number of officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, met with officials of the Bekasi mayoralty and with Bekasi councillors on Friday evening. The meeting lasted from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.