Bogor villagers complain of water shortage

Bogor villagers complain of water shortage

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Residents of Lalamping village in
Cibungbulang district here complained that they had been
suffering from water shortage due to garbage blocking water
sources.

A Lalamping resident, Soleh Japra, 60, said on Thursday that
garbage from the nearby Galuga dump site, owned by the Bogor
administration, had slid into seven wells, several public
bathrooms, a gutter and a 2.5-hectare rice field.

The first garbage slide, which occurred last year, and the
second, last month, was the result of heavy rains and an
overloaded garbage dump.

"Last month, eight people were almost buried by sliding
garbage," Soleh told The Jakarta Post.

As a result of the damage caused by the garbage, 77 families
or some 350 residents are finding it difficult to take showers,
wash their clothes and plates or use the toilet.

Some 10 families have even started moving to a nearby building
on Thursday as their homes are vulnerable to garbage slides.

Soleh said if the wells, bathrooms and gutters were not
damaged or clogged, residents would not complain.

"But many of them have not taken a bath for days. I haven't
taken a bath for three days and can only hope for some rain," he
said.

The city administration, he added, had sent a tank of clean
water, but it was only enough for drinking.

The garbage has also polluted a small water source near the
village, thus making it stink and causing itchiness.

Water from the garbage has also polluted the Cianten river and
rice fields. Many rice fields cannot be harvested because of the
pollution.

Soleh said the smell of the garbage had caused five residents
to suffer respiratory problems.

"Health service was only provided by the administration when
the garbage began to slide, but not on a daily basis, not even
once a week," he said.

Residents also requested that the administration bury the
garbage and build walls around the dump site to prevent the
slide.

"If they (administration) want to move the site, fine. But
they still have to take care of the problem," Soleh said.

Survey

Meanwhile, head of Bogor Sanitary Agency Hari Harsono said his
office had asked the Bogor administration to give them until the
end of the year to overcome the garbage problem.

"We have allocated some Rp 75 million (US$7,500) for a
survey," Hari said.

The administration, he added, had designated six places,
namely, Pasir Gaok village, Wates village, Candali Kemang
village, Wates Cigudeg village, Nambu (Cileungsi) village and
Baru Jonggol village as dump sites, but they would only be ready
next July.

According to Hari, Galuga is only a four-hectare dump site
while some 1,364 cubic meters of garbage are dumped at the site
everyday.

"We have provided health service and made a soccer field for
the residents around the site," he said.

Separately on Thursday, Bogor administration spokesman
Mochamad Sjahuri said the administration was planning to charge
residents garbage collection fees. (21/hdn)