Road-sweepers to get raise

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Banyumas Regent Djoko Soedantoko promised to give 1,200 road-sweepers and other sanitation workers a pay raise when expressing his pleasure over the Adipura award which the city recently won.

"Thanks largely to the workers, Purwokerto received the honor, so they deserve a raise," Djoko told The Jakarta Post yesterday. The workers' monthly salaries, ranging from Rp 60,000 (US$25) to Rp 90,000 per month, will be increased to between Rp 90,000 to Rp 120,000.

The award is given each year to clean cities. The Adipura Kencana or golden award is given to cities which can maintain a record of cleanliness for five consecutive years.

The road-sweepers and other sanitation workers clear away 800 cubic meters of domestic waste every day. The garbage is transported to a sanitary landfill in the Gunung Tegel area. (wah/swe)