Bekasi mayor has yet to close dump

JAKARTA: Despite the recommendation from Bekasi councillors to close the Bantar Gebang garbage dump, the mayor of Bekasi has yet to issue a decree on its closure.

Mayor Nonon Sonthanie would discuss the issue further with the executive and legislative bodies, said Nardi, a member of the mayoralty's public relations staff.

"He still wants to explore the options and possibilities, so he hasn't issued the decree on Bantar Gebang's closure," Nardi told The Jakarta Post.

Bantar Gebang has been the source of bickering between the Jakarta city administration and Bekasi mayoralty with Bekasi threatening to close the city's garbage dump if Jakarta refused to hand over 50 percent of the 104-hectare site to Bekasi.

The existence of the dump has caused an outcry from Bekasi residents as it has caused land and air pollution.

Antara reported that as many as 6,757 residents around the dumping site were infected with various respiratory illness and 1,352 suffered from diarrhea. --JP