Bekasi dump annoys neighbors

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Bekasi

Jakarta has paid out Rp 14 billion in compensation for the use of the Bantar Gebang dump site, but locals living close to the dump have complained that they have received little or no benefit from the fund.

The work to develop asphalt roads near the Bantar Gebang dump site in Bekasi was completed just a few months ago, but the roads are already in poor condition, the locals said.

There are potholes everywhere and several parts of the road have been severely damaged as the asphalt was too thin.

"The condition of the roads is very poor. You can see the roads have begun to break apart although they were paved several months ago," said Surya, 34, a resident of Ciketing Udik, on Wednesday.

The roads, connecting the three subdistricts of Cikiwul, Ciketing Udik, and Sumur Batu, where the dump site is located, were a symbolic gesture of the various projects funded by the Rp 14 billion in compensation, provided by the Jakarta administration this year.

The compensation was part of an agreement signed by Governor Sutiyoso and Bekasi Mayor Nonon Sonthanie on Jan. 31 for the continued use of the Bantar Gebang dump.

The compensation was also used to fund the renovation of mosques and schools, construct a clean water facility for houses near the dump, sports facilities, a medical center and the purchase of several cars and motorcycles.

Jakarta administration spokesman Muhayat said earlier that the city was not responsible for supervising the construction of the projects.

Last week, dozens of residents went to the Bekasi Mayoralty Office to express their disappointment over the damaged roads. Many others protested that the roads did not come close to their homes.

The mayor promised the demonstrators from Cikiwul subdistrict that road construction in their area would be completed before the Idul Fitri holidays on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7.

"If they are not paved by Idul Fitri, we will damage the roads, which are usually used by the garbage trucks," said Enin, a resident of Cikiwul.

Enin said he knew that there had been compensation for Jakarta's use of the dump, but the people who live close to the site did not receive much benefit from it.

He said that the medical center, funded with money from the compensation, was located in the capital of Bantar Gebang subdistrict, which is far away from the three subdistricts where the dump is situated.

Enin said the high level of pollution, the stench from the garbage and the polluted groundwater had severely affected the people whose homes directly bordered on the dump site.

"Why did they build the medical center so far from where people who really need medical attention live? We have to take the bus if we want to go to the center," he said.

Enin's complaint was followed with one from Sobari, a resident from Sumur Batu subdistrict. He said that the groundwater was not safe for consumption, but sometimes his family had to resort to using it as their supply of clean water was not always available.

Sobari, whose house directly borders on the dump site, also said he had not received any compensation although his family was among those most affected by the dump site.

"If we eat something that has a strong smell, like fish, hundreds of 'guests' always come and join us," said Sobari, referring to the flies from the dump site. He said that the dump's conditions would become more severe during the rainy season, as the stench from the dump would worsen.

Due to continuing environmental damage, the Bekasi mayor has threatened to close Bantar Gebang dump and cancel its agreement with Jakarta, signed early this year.

In December last year, Bekasi closed its 100-hectare dump, which had been used by Jakarta since 1986, causing a garbage crisis in the city as thousands of tons of waste went uncollected.