Citarum Harum Task Force to Install CCTV at Illegal Waste Dumping Hotspots in Lembang

The Citarum Harum Task Force plans to install surveillance cameras (CCTV) at vulnerable locations for illegal waste dumping in Lembang, West Bandung Regency. This action is prompted by the frequent instances of certain residents dumping rubbish around Jalan Kolonel Masturi. In addition to monitoring, the Task Force will also implement social sanctions for those who litter indiscriminately.

“This sanction is intended as a deterrent effect. We want the public to realise that protecting the environment is a collective responsibility,” said the Operations Officer of the Citarum Harum Task Force Sector 8, Second Warrant Officer Iwan Setiawan, on Friday (27/3).

He stated that caught perpetrators will be required to wear orange vests and clean the areas they have soiled immediately.

This step follows a rubbish clean-up activity involving around 60 combined personnel from the Citarum Harum Task Force, sub-district apparatus, the Lembang Military Command, village officials, communities, and local residents.

“This post-Eid clean-up activity successfully collected a large amount of rubbish, nearly filling one truck. Most of it was household waste,” he said.

It is suspected that the rubbish is dumped from night until just before dawn to avoid detection by residents. This is supported by the discovery of several large sacks that could not possibly be transported by small vehicles.

“It is suspected that some residents use cars to dump the rubbish at night until early morning. Previously, up to 10 sacks were found, but two of them had already been swept away because they were dumped into the river,” he explained.

According to him, the rubbish dumped around the Cikapundung River, which flows into the Citarum River, has the potential to cause blockages from upstream to downstream.

“The bridge area is often used as an illegal dumping site, and the area around Alam Sejuk is also vulnerable because we frequently find plastic bags deliberately left on the roadside,” he added.