'Jakarta is so dirty, polluted'

The lack of care and attention in disposing urban waste has caused serious problems, such as flooding. The Jakarta Post talked to vendors about their ideas on how to handle the garbage issue.

Nana, 43, an elementary school graduate from Kuningan, West Java, has been working as a drink vendor for more than 10 years in Jakarta. He lives in Senen with his colleagues, while his two children and wife are back in his hometown.

"I'm very sad that Jakarta is so densely populated and dirty. There is so much traffic congestion, unbearable pollution, slums and trash.

I regret the lack of public awareness for the environment. If they cared about the environment, we would see a lot of trash bins on the street. Worse, more and more people are carelessly littering.

I feel that Jakarta has helped me earn a living, so it is my turn to give back to the city and be responsible for the place where I stay.

I am just an outsider who comes into the city to work. Therefore, I always clean the surroundings where I work.

Regarding the environment, I don't have any suggestions for the government. It would be useless to make any as they wouldn't do anything for us.

Let's start with ourselves and I think that's the point I want to make."

Ngadi, 50, is a meatball soup vendor from Surakarta, Central Java, who has been living here for 30 years. The elementary school dropout lives in Bendungan Udik, South Jakarta, with his three children and wife.

"In my opinion, garbage should be disposed of properly. We should have a trash bin made of bricks (in front of the house) to contain waste. It would be a way to manage garbage.

I am disappointed about the amount of garbage in the city, especially on the streets.

I prefer a clean environment. That's why I have a wastebasket at my business.

About the environment in general, I hope the city administration will do something to make the city a healthier and cleaner place.

They should educate people on how to properly dispose of their garbage."

Zainul, 20, is from Lamongan, East Java. An elementary school graduate, he has been in Jakarta for a year and makes a living by selling chicken soup and rice.

"Garbage is a common problem for people here. One thing I know is that the city suffered from disastrous flooding as a result of people not paying any attention to where they threw their garbage.

I have never been bothered by the garbage problem.

For me, the most important thing is to make the area where I run my business clean. It is our responsibility to keep the area clean of any waste.

I'm learning to discipline myself first before telling other people to do the same."