Health fears rise in Surabaya as garbage debate stalls

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The standoff over 68,000 tons of accumulating garbage in the city has continued with residents living near the Keputih garbage dump site giving the city administration 15 days to solve the problem while Governor Imam Utomo says he needs at least a month.

The showdown comes as Surabaya health ministry chief Esti Martiana said the number of diarrhea and dengue fever sufferers in the city had increased by 4.6 percent, largely due to the accumulating garbage in temporary dump sites.

"During the fasting month, the number of diarrhea and dengue fever sufferers is expected to continue increasing unless the city is freed from the garbage accumulations," Esti said.

The number of diarrhea and dengue fever patients in hospitals and clinics in the city had risen to around 160 over the last three months from 140 in June and July, she said.

State Minister of the Environment Naviel Makarim has invited Keputih residents to Jakarta to discuss the worsening health situation and says he wants the matter resolved before the Idhul Fitri holiday.

Provincial administration spokesman Kunarto told The Jakarta Post by telephone that a meeting between the governor and Keputih residents was adjourned until next week.

"The city administration needs at least 30 days to dump the accumulating garbage while Keputih residents gave only 15 days to do it," he said.

The meeting between the Keputih residents and Deputy Surabaya Mayor Bambang D.H. took place at Governor Imam Utomo's office in the city on Monday.

Kunarto said it was impossible for the city administration to dump a total of 68,000 tons of garbage accumulated in numerous temporary dump sites in the city because the city had only 50 trucks and more than 200 personnel.

"Besides, the city administration also needs one month to complete the ongoing development of the dump site in Benowo subdistrict," he said.

He said those representing Keputih residents in the meeting agreed to inform the residents of the governor's proposal and discuss the matter further.

In their meeting with Bambang over the weekend, Keputih residents agreed to give the city administration 15 days to dump the city's garbage in the subdistrict in line with the Ramadhan fasting month and the health concerns over the accumulating garbage.

According to Kunarto, both Governor Imam Utomo and Bambang were optimistic that Keputih residents would give 30 days for the city administration to dump the garbage until the Benowo garbage dump opened.

Makarim invited Keputih residents to come to Jakarta to discuss the garbage dump site in the subdistrict after his failure to meet them during his visit to Surabaya last Friday.

"The minister's invitation has been delivered to Keputih residents," Antoro Hendra, chief of the local office of the Waste Management Agency (Bapedal), said in Surabaya on Monday.

"The minister wants to meet representatives of the Keputih residents to discuss the increasing number of diarrhea and dengue fever sufferers in the city likely because of the accumulating garbage," Antoro said.

The minister wanted the garbage problem to be resolved before the Idhul Fitri holidays on Dec. 16-17, 2001. he said.