Residents oppose plan to reopen garbage dump

Residents oppose plan to reopen garbage dump

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration's plan to reopen a garbage dump in
Srengseng, West Jakarta, is being bitterly opposed by upset and
bewildered locals.

They find it difficult to comprehend how the former garbage
site, which was closed six years ago and has since been converted
into a shady, green park with a fish pond, could once again
become a polluted and unhealthy garbage dump.

Located in the middle of a high density housing compound, the
park has functioned as one of Jakarta's 'lungs', as well as being
a water-catchment area. Every week at least 1,000 people visit
the park, contributing around Rp 600,000 (US$60) per month to the
city's coffers courtesy of the entrance fee, according to Jaya,
the park keeper, who is an employee of the City Forestry Agency.

It took the agency one year and Rp 4 billion to convert the
site into the current parkland.

H. Muhayat, chief of a Srengseng neighborhood unit, recalled
how his family and other nearby residents used to suffer as a
result of their proximity to the dump. They had to contend with
the smell of the garbage, and experienced diarrhea, dengue fever
epidemics and flooding for five years before the dump was finally
closed down following protests from locals.

"I will lead the residents in opposing the plan," he told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Other residents shared his sentiments. Satiri, 41, whose house
is located just 30 meters from the site, vowed that she and her
family would join the rally to protest the city's plan. Even the
secretary of the Srengseng subdistrict administration, Rais bin
Hasan, vowed to back the people.

If the former dump were to be reopened, many planters,
florists and fishing equipment vendors operating in the park
might lose their jobs.

The plan to reopen Srengseng dump was revealed after the city
administration failed to reach an agreement with Bekasi
authorities on Bantar Gebang dump, which has been used by Jakarta
since 1986.

Bekasi authorities are insisting on closing the dump by the
end of this year due to environmental considerations.

Sutiyoso had insisted earlier that the dump should not be
closed until 2003 as stated in an earlier agreement. He also
threatened to bring the case to the court if the Bekasi
administration did not change its mind.

But Bekasi authorities are adamant that the dump must be
closed.

Jakarta produces at least 25,000 cubic meters, or more than
6,000 tons, of household waste every day, but only 23,000 cubic
meters can be transported to Bantar Gebang. The remaining waste
is scattered on roadsides or dumped in rivers.

Following the deadlock, Jakarta governor Sutiyoso claimed his
administration was prepared for the closure of Bantar Gebang. It
seems, however, that the administration's plans were not well
developed.

Earlier, the administration said it had prepared sites in
Srengseng and Cengkareng, West Jakarta. But on Wednesday,
Sutiyoso said that garbage would be temporarily dumped in
Srengseng and Kamal Muara in North Jakarta. No details about the
condition of the sites were given.

According to the administration, the two sites would only be
used for a few months. A private dump in Jonggol, Bogor was
suggested as a long term alternative, even though this would mean
the city would have to pay Rp 30 billion a year to rent the 40-
hectare dump, which would be ready in March.

Meanwhile, a staff member of the Kamal Muara subdistrict
administration said it would be prepared to support the plan to
dump waste in the area as the site was located in the middle of
an industrial estate, far from any housing compounds.

The city also plans to add 18 more incinerators to the current
five, and to speed up its cooperation with PT Bio fertilizer
Indonesia, which will begin converting trash into organic
fertilizer next year.

Sutiyoso also threatened to bring the issue to Home Affairs
Minister Hari Sabarno, but until Wednesday he failed to show up
at the home affairs ministry office.

"As we have now reached a stalemate, I will ask the Home
Affairs Minister to help solve the problem," Sutiyoso said on
Tuesday.

The conflict over the site worsened after two garbage trucks
belonging to the Jakarta administration were set alight by Bekasi
residents upset at seeing the trucks' drivers dumping garbage in
a street near the dump site.