Health fears rise in Surabaya as garbage debate stalls

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.