Garbage a disaster in Jakarta

Unexpectedly, Bekasi's legislative council closed Bantar Gebang dump, which had been leased out to Jakarta's administration.

For the benefit of the public, many circles hope that this dump could still be used, though with new requirements. We are not blaming Bekasi; neither are we defending Jakarta. We only fear that this closure may spell disaster, similar to what happened in Surabaya two months ago. So, we at least hope that efforts may be made to minimize the impact of this closure.

At this juncture, it may be useful to trace back how the closure occurred. The existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Jakarta and Bekasi stipulates that the lease will not be terminated until 2003.

Only since the middle of this year, did Bekasi, all of a sudden, demand that the dump be closed down, following Jakarta's refusal to meet Bekasi's claim for half the dump area. Governor Sutiyoso had promised new negotiations on this matter after the MoU expires in 2003.

As the closure was made definite by Bekasi, Jakarta can only bring the case to the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the meantime, Jakarta is eying a new site in Jonggol.

Of course, the problem is not as easy as it sounds. The daily volume of garbage in Jakarta, a city with a population of 8.5 million, amounts to 6,250 tons, but currently only 88 percent of this can be handled. So, although Bantar Gebang dump remains operational, garbage remains a problem; the more so if it is closed.

Why not designate Jonggol as a site for a new dump for Jakarta? Well, it is not that easy, as an in-depth environmental study and land preparation such as the sanitary landfill system would need to be carried out.

It is this system that the Bekasi legislative council complained about because it is not effective. Experts say that this system is now outdated as it cannot prevent environmental pollution. As a result, 108 hectares of land at Bantar Gebang dump have been heavily polluted.

Garbage has become a contentious issue between neighboring Jakarta and Bekasi. This is not the first time such a problem has come to our attention. This is only part of an accumulation of problems. Ethics apart, Bekasi and Jakarta could have anticipated this conflict much earlier so that the interest of the community would not be harmed.

-- Warta Kota , Jakarta