'Many of us have little access to clean water'

It goes without saying that development is often at the cost of the environment, replacing green spaces in big cities with concrete jungles. In conjunction with World Environment Day on June 5, The Jakarta Post asked a few residents for their opinion of the city administration's environmental management.

Gregorius, 30, works for a private firm in Kedoya, West Jakarta. He lives close to his office with his wife:

Let's talk about regreening the city. I have observed that, while the administration has planted thousands of trees, it doesn't care what happens afterward.

The officials don't really consider whether they plant the trees in the right locations, or how to maintain them. Many trees simply die. Those that survive grow to disturb electricity wires or other installations. Some were uprooted during the recent storms.

Regreening is actually a good policy, despite its high cost. But, unfortunately, it has not delivered good results.

I also want to encourage the Jakarta administration to impose a regulation that requires all vehicles to conform to the emission standard. The policy would significantly reduce air pollution.

Learning from the successful three-in-one and seat belt policies, strict law enforcement is effective to force motorists to comply with traffic regulations.

Maya Hastuti, 30, is a journalist with a newspaper in Cikini, Central Jakarta. She lives in Jatiwaringin, Bekasi.

Both Bekasi and Jakarta administrations have paid little attention to environmental issues. Environmental problems remain unresolved and are, perhaps, getting worse.

Administrations prefer to use most of their budgets for construction projects, leaving only meager funds for environmental management.

In my home, the high level of pollution has made the water too murky either for drinking or washing clothes. I have to buy gallons of water every week. So far, the administration has done nothing to fix that very simple problem. I think many residents have very limited access to clean water.

--The Jakarta Post