Mayoralties to collect sanitation revenue

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja urged Jakarta's subdistrict heads Thursday to help tackle the city's garbage disposal problem by contributing more to city revenue.

Surjadi was speaking after signing an agreement with Jakarta's five mayors transferring the responsibility of collecting sanitation fees from the city sanitation agency to mayoralties.

Subdistrict heads will be in charge of collecting the fees.

Surjadi said subdistrict heads had a duty to help solve the garbage problem and maintain the city's cleanliness.

"It will be better when subdistrict heads directly collect sanitation fees because they can check on the revenues and motivate residents to pay on time," he said.

The assistant to the city secretary in charge of administration, Fauzi Alvi Yasin, said yesterday the new collecting procedure would contribute about Rp 10 billion (US$4.1 million) to the city's revenue this year.

Each subdistrict head is expected to collect Rp 34 million, Fauzi said.

"The sanitation and waste disposal agency earned only Rp 3 billion last year," he said. "The city should have earned more as there are hundreds of families in 265 subdistricts and each family pays at least Rp 500 a month," he said.

To encourage the implementation of the new system Surjadi said collecting the fees would be included when evaluating subdistrict heads' careers.

"The city has to step up its waste handling as it has been able to handle about only 86 percent of the city's waste problems," Surjadi said.

The city tackled 30,000 cubic meters of waste daily, he said.

West Jakarta Mayor Sutardjianto supported the new system and said it would reduce inefficiency and mismanagement.

City Council chairman M.H. Ritonga called on residents to pay sanitation fees to help create a better and cleaner environment. (04)