City plans to repair Bantar Gebang dump

JAKARTA (JP): City administration will work to improve the waste management of the city's 118-hectare Bantar Gebang garbage dump in Bekasi, Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi said on Wednesday.

He said measures would be taken to restore waste water management at the garbage dump and lessen its impact on the environment.

"We'll fix the waste water installation at the garbage dump, which is at the moment not fully operational," Budihardjo told reporters at City Hall after briefing city officials about the environmental damage caused by the garbage dump.

People living in the surrounding Bantar Gebang area have complained of thick smoke resulting from burning at the garbage dump. They also said the garbage dump had polluted their water.

Budihardjo said the city administration would ask Bekasi mayoralty to get involved in the garbage management.

"Bekasi mayoralty, whose residents send 700 cubic meters of trash to the garbage dump every day, should help the city administration accelerate the decomposition period of the waste products by covering the area with soil," he said.

In the long term, he said the city administration would develop a new garbage dump site in Ciangir subdistrict, Tangerang.

"We have bought land in Ciangir, Tangerang, which will be developed as the city's second garbage dump," Budihardjo said.

"The land is now under a feasibility study."

The Ciangir land is expected to reduce the burden on Bantar Gebang, which currently receives about 21,000 cubic meters of trash from Jakarta every day.

Budihardjo said the city administration would provide free medical treatment for local residents who have suffered from illness caused by pollution from the dump.

"We will also compensate the local residents for all losses they have suffered," he said.

Head of the city sanitation agency Saksono Hoesodo confirmed on Wednesday that environmental damage -- including land, water and air pollution -- had occurred at the garbage dump and surrounding areas.

"Instead of organizing regular free medical treatment, we have recently set up a clinic which will provide free health treatment to local residents," Saksono said. (jun)