Banten Provincial Government and Volunteers Intensify River Ecosystem Recovery

The Banten Provincial Government, through the Department of Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR) and the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), alongside volunteers and Scout members, has been intensifying efforts to reduce waste and restore river ecosystems. This effort recently resulted in the evacuation of 15 tonnes of household waste that was obstructing the flow of the Cibanten River in Serang City.

The Head of the Banten Provincial PUPR, Arlan Marzan, emphasised in Serang on Monday that this activity is not merely a cleaning operation, but a tangible form of education and a campaign to encourage the community to reduce waste production and distribution in their surroundings. “The Banten Provincial Government, through PUPKS and BPBD, together with volunteers and Scouts, has conducted river cleaning. This step also serves to educate the community to work together in reducing waste disposal into rivers,” said Arlan.

This environmental action, aimed at minimising the impact of aquatic waste, also involved the Cidanau-Ciujung-Cidurian River Basin Organisation (BBWS C3) and the Banten River Care Community. Arlan explained that the evacuation was a response to community reports regarding severe blockages dominated by plastic and styrofoam. These non-biodegradable waste piles were carried downstream from the upstream areas and became trapped on fallen trees in the Unyur area, forming a mass that blocked the river for over a week and posed a significant flood risk.

Through this cross-sector collaboration, the Banten Provincial Government hopes the public will become more proactive in managing and reducing waste at its source, particularly household waste. “We hope the community will help protect the river and manage waste wisely. If there are any waste-related issues in your respective environments, please immediately inform the government through your local neighbourhood heads (RT), villages, or sub-districts so they can be addressed collectively before polluting the environment,” Arprim asserted.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Banten River Care Community, Lulu Jamaludin, noted that reducing the waste volume at that specific location required extra effort because the area was difficult to reach with heavy machinery. “Because it is located at a point inaccessible to heavy vehicles, the waste piles had to be manually broken down starting from Friday (5/6) and moved to land where transport was possible,” said Lulu.

The joint team successfully pulled the waste piles to four access points. The total 15 tonnes of waste were eventually evacuated and transported to the Cilowong Landfill using five dump truck loads. Although the waste load in the river has significantly decreased, Lulu mentioned that the efforts are not yet fully complete. The volunteer team is currently preparing to tackle remaining massive waste piles in Kampung Pamindangan, where the covered area spans 50 metres in length and 70 centimetres in thickness.