Garbage accumulates in Surabaya
Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya
Following the closure of a garbage dump in the subdistrict of Keputih, the accumulated garbage in the provincial capital of East Java, Surabaya, could become a serious problem in the near future as residents of nearby Benowo have followed suit blocking the city authorities from dumping household waste in the subdistrict.
Hundreds of thousands of tons of garbage were abandoned in the city's temporary dumps on Saturday when some 500 residents of Benowo blocked tens of garbage trucks from entering the garbage dump in the subdistrict.
"Residents won't be victimized by the garbage dump. Garbage trucks are not allowed to enter this area unless we are given a guarantee that residents will be supplied with tap water and our health is insured," said Basuki, who coordinated the blockade by residents.
They said they were disappointed with the city administration, which they said had failed to handle the garbage issue competently.
Bambang, the deputy mayor of Surabaya, regretted the blockade because it could worsen the garbage problem.
"With the action taken by Benowo residents, all the city residents will have to suffer because of the accumulation of garbage," he said, adding the local administration was considering meeting the residents' demands.
Bambang had left a course at the National Resilience Institution (lemhannas) in Jakarta to return to Surabaya to handle the garbage issue amid the absence of Mayor Soemarno who is in Australia for a medical checkup.
Meanwhile, Keputih's garbage dump and its waste water treatment plant caught fire on Friday due to causes that are so far unclear.
The local administration deployed four water tankers to the garbage dump site but the fire has not yet been extinguished.
Adj. Sr. Comr. Safaruddin, chief of East Surabaya Police precinct regretted the fire, saying it could be sabotage.
"The police are still investigating the fire," he said.
Keputih residents denied spreading rumors that they were behind the fire.