Garbage problems still looming
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Garbage problems continue to haunt the Jakarta city administration.
The Bekasi legislative council complained on Thursday about what they saw as poor management of the garbage dumped at the Bantar Gebang site by the Jakarta Sanitation Agency.
Councillor Nurul Yakin of the National Mandate Party (PAN), claiming to represent the council, said the city administration had failed to improve sanitary landfill systems.
The current method left awful smells that spoiled the nearby residents living conditions, he said.
Jakarta dumps an average of 25,000 cubic meters per day at Bantar Gebang.
"The Jakarta administration must be able to deal with the garbage in the dump site professionally so as not to cause more environmental problems for local residents," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Nurul also blamed the city administration for failing to keep its promise to improve the condition of Bantar Gebang dump site by, among other things, renovating the irrigation and repairing damaged walls surrounding the dump site and the access road.
Nurul said that the Bekasi legislative council would soon observe and examine the environment around the dump site, including residential areas.
The latest complaint will seemingly prolong the dispute between the city administration and the Bekasi mayoralty over the dump site, which started late last year.
The Bekasi mayoralty has threatened to close the 104-hectare dump site should the Jakarta Sanitary Agency fail to implement a proper sanitary landfill system.
The as many as 18,000 local people living around the dump site have frequently complained about the environmental degradation due to the improper garbage handling in Bantar Gebang. Some have suffered from skin problems, diarrhea and other illnesses, reportedly due to the waste.
In February, residents burned a dump truck belonging to the city administration. They said they were upset with the drivers who dumped the waste outside the dump site.
The dispute then cooled down after a series of meetings between both sides, mediated by the central government. The deal was that Jakarta was still allowed to dump its garbage in Bantar Gebang until 2003.
In March, Governor Sutiyoso handed over a cheque worth Rp 14 billion to Bekasi Mayor Nonon Sonthanie. The money was part of Rp 22 billion promised by the city administration to improve the sanitary landfill system and the social facilities for residents around the area. Another Rp 8 billion is supposed to be given next year for similar purposes until the dump site is closed in 2003.
The Bekasi mayoralty is assigned to maintain Bantar Gebang and report the development to the Jakarta administration. There was no explanation why the Bekasi councillor did not check with the mayor over the implementation of the renovation and repair works funded by the Rp 14 billion.