Poor near airport untouched by progress

TANGERANG (JP): Poor people living around the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have no access to cheap, clean drinking water and have yet to see development in the area, head of the Batu Ceper district said on Saturday.

Nana Mulyana said that as water in the area was not fit for consumption, poor residents were forced to buy water at Rp 1,000 for two jerricans.

"In other areas in Tangerang, water is sold at Rp 500 per cubic meter," Nana said.

He said of the five areas, two -- Bulakambing village, Banda district, and Sukatani village, Batu Ceper district -- near the airport have poor water conditions.

In Bulakambing village, which has 206 families, there have been 10 cases of diarrhea and 22 cases of skin disorders in the first three months of this year, Nana said.

Nana said that another very serious problem was a lack of toilet facilities.

"A big portion of families living around the airport do not have their own toilet facilities, so they relieve themselves in nearby ponds or bushes," Nana said.

He added that none of the facilities recently built in the area were usable as there was nobody to maintain the facilities and keep them clean.

"We plan to start and socialize a program that will involve residents to keep the toilet facilities clean and not to relieve themselves in ponds," Nana said.

Meanwhile, the state-owned airport management firm PT Angkasa Pura II's director of operations, Mulyono, said the firm donated food worth Rp 250 million last year to the poor residents.

Other donations included funds worth Rp 266 million for small- scale businesses and funds of Rp 500 million to build an elementary school, he said. (41/ylt)