Tangerang cautious over dump site plan

Tangerang cautious over dump site plan

TANGERANG (JP): Troubled with environmental damage caused by
the Bantar Gebang garbage dump in Bekasi, Tangerang
administration is carefully considering the Jakarta
administration's plan to move the dump site to the Ciangir area.

"We don't want the future dump site polluting the Ciangir
neighborhood," Tangerang spokesman Slamet Putranto said on
Thursday.

"So we will be very careful to avoid making any hasty
decisions on this."

A team of experts was established to conduct a feasibility
study on the planned transfer.

"The people around Ciangir must be notified of the plan. We do
not want them to be the victims of a polluted environment,"
Slamet said.

Bekasi councilors have repeatedly asked the Jakarta
administration to close the dump in Bantar Gebang, saying that it
polluted the air and water which led to health problems, such as
respiratory disease and skin infections, in the residents.

Slamet said the Tangerang administration would propose that
the garbage be processed first before being dumped in Tangerang.

"This measure is to avoid an accumulation of garbage which
will further lead to air pollution as well as spreading disease,"
he said.

The spokesman said the Tangerang administration would also
discuss the matter with city councilors.

"Together we will visit Bantar Gebang to find out the real
problems there," he said.

The Tangerang administration has not made any decision on the
matter. Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration will probably
cancel the plan after learning that the development of a
substitute garbage dump site in Ciangir was not feasible.

Governor Sutiyoso said last September that "the opening of a
new garbage dump will only move the same problems from Bekasi to
Tangerang".

The Jakarta administration has then decided to allocate Rp 10
billion (US$1,428,571.40) for renovations at the Bantar Gebang
dump, which was designed to contain Jakarta's 23,000 cubic meters
of garbage per day until 2004. (41/edt)