'Jakarta rivers like sewers'

'Jakarta rivers like sewers'

Most of the rivers that flow through the city are heavily
polluted, not only by industrial waste, but also by household
garbage - a condition that might result in floods when the rainy
season comes. People living along the river banks admit that they
always dump the waste into the river as there is no garbage dump
in the neighborhood.

Mamat, a parking attendant for almost 20 years in Bendungan
Hilir, South Jakarta. He resides with his wife and two children
along the Krukut river in Karet Tengsin subdistrict, South
Jakarta. He is from Medan, North Sumatra:

We always dump the garbage into the river here. It's our
habit. So, what's wrong with that?

If you talk about a better place to dump the garbage, can you
show me where it is? I have been here for years but there is no
garbage dump (in the neighborhood).

Johan, 19, a vendor selling gado-gado (traditional vegetable
salad). He and his fellow vendor rents a small shanty along the
Krukut river in South Jakarta. He comes from Kuningan, West
Jakarta:

Frankly speaking, I always dump the trash into the river.
Everybody in my neighborhood does the same thing every day. So, I
don't think there is anything wrong with that.

There is no place in my neighborhood to dump the trash. I
sometimes burn the flammable waste and dispose of plastics in the
river.

Well, sometimes ... I am aware that I am doing wrong to throw
away the trash carelessly into the river. I realize that it might
cause trouble for us during the rainy season. But, every resident
here does not care about the trash.

Perhaps, if there is a garbage dump in my area, it may prevent
the locals from littering.

Muji, 43, a boatman who serves passengers crossing the Krukut
river. He has done this for seven years:

I am accustomed to seeing people dump their trash every day
into the river. The smelly and muddy water is part of my daily
life here.

I cannot say anything good about the habits of the residents
living along the river bank. This is Jakarta, a metropolitan city
that always produces trash every second.

Upon seeing that and living in the situation, the only way is
just to take it for granted. I don't know what I am supposed to
do about the situation.

I seldom dump garbage (into the river). I even clear the waste
in the river that obstructs my boat.

Samidi, 48, a security officer at the Forestry Ministry. He
lives near a small river in Jatijajar, Depok. He has a wife and
three children:

I'm tired of seeing my neighbors dumping trash into the river,
and warning them not to do so. There is only one person out of 10
who is aware that it is wrong.

Supposing, if one person disposes a piece of plastic waste
into the river, then can you imagine how much waste is dumped by
hundreds of those ignorant people?

The people who live in the housing complex near my kampong do
the same thing. They also dump trash into the river.

It's not that easy to change their bad habits and to improve
their awareness, as there is no proper garbage dump nearby.

-- Leo Wahyudi S