Students dump trash at council

SURABAYA: To mark World Environment Day, about 100 activists dumped four bags of trash outside the East Java Legislative Council on Tuesday to draw the attention of the councillors.

The activists from the Environment Care Committee accused the local government of failing to pay serious attention to the problems caused by environmental degradation, including air and water pollution.

The stench from the trash, which included plastic and paper items, and leaves, was too strong for some council members to ignore.

They came out and met with the activists, mostly students from various East Java universities.

"We're doing this to show the legislators what trash is all about," Sandy Ariza, a leader of the group, told The Jakarta Post.

Sandy said the government's Clean River Program had failed to make a difference.

"Take Kalimas, which continues to be used as place to dumb trash," he said, referring to a river which runs through Surabaya. "The provincial government is deaf and blind to the various protests from the people." (nur/04)