Jakarta to start dumping garbage in Bojong in January
Jakarta to start dumping garbage in Bojong in January
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor
Strong opposition from locals did not deter the Bogor regency
administration from allocating land in Bojong subdistrict to
Jakarta to use as a dump starting January.
"We have studied all aspects of the dump from the spatial plan
to the Environmental Impact Analysis and the technology to be
used for processing the waste," administration spokesman Mohammad
Sjahuri said on Monday.
The news is a relief for Jakarta, which has been facing the
fast-approaching Dec. 31 contract termination date for Bantar
Gebang dump, Bekasi municipality, without an alternative site for
the capital's garbage.
The Bekasi administration has declined to extend the contract,
pointing out that the dump had caused environmental damage and
endangered the people's health.
The Bojong dump, however, can only accommodate around 1,500
tons of the capital's 6,000 tons of daily waste.
Sofyan Hadi Wijaya, director of PT Wira Guna Sejahtera, a
subsidiary of PT Wira Gulfindo Sarana, could not say when the
waste processing facility would be installed in Bojong.
PT Wira Gulfindo Sarana has been appointed by Jakarta to
manage the waste processing, and has been vocal about its plan to
use ball presses made using German technology to process
Jakarta's waste.
Meanwhile, the situation in Bojong was heated after residents
heard of the Bogor administration's approval.
"The residents still oppose the plan to allow Jakarta to dump
its waste in our neighborhood," said Naih, a resident.
Early this month, police fired warning shots during a protest
held by residents against the plan to turn Bojong into a dump.
Sofyan has stressed that the use of the ball press technology
would minimize environmental damage. So far, Rp 85 billion (US$10
million) has been invested in the waste-processing machine
"We won't let the waste pile up. All waste will be processed
every day," he claimed.
Each day, between 60 and 80 trucks will carry around 27 tons
per trip to the Bojong dump.
Sjahuri also argued that opening the Bojong dump would provide
jobs for up to 900 locals.
"They can work as waste sorters and resell things that cannot
be recycled. The company will also set up a cooperative unit for
the sorters," he said.
Secretary of Bogor's economy and development division head
Syarifah Sofiah said the administration would receive an annual
compensation of Rp 1 billion from Jakarta.
At the end of 2001, Jakarta faced a waste crisis after Bekasi
closed Bantar Gebang for several weeks because of the
environmental damage. The dispute ended only after President
Megawati Soekarnoputri intervened, and Jakarta paid Rp 22 billion
in compensation to Bekasi.