Garbage accumulates in Surabaya

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.