Tangerang rejects plan for dump
TANGERANG (JP): The local administration made clear on Saturday its opposition to Jakarta's plan to build a garbage dump in Ciangir village here to replace the dump in Bantar Gebang, Bekasi.
"We simply do not want Ciangir to turn into the Bantar Gebang garbage dump.
"We just do not want all the trouble caused by the garbage from Jakarta," Tangerang regency administration secretary Ismet Iskandar said.
Bekasi is located east of Jakarta, while Tangerang is located to the west.
Fearing the same type of environmental damage and pollution caused by the Bantar Gebang dump, Tangerang residents and councilors have been vocal in their opposition to Jakarta's plan to build a dump in Ciangir.
The Jakarta administration reportedly has secured 80 of the 100 hectares needed for the dump in Ciangir, which is located in the district of Legok. Fifteen hectares of this land would serve as the entrance road and connecting roads for the dump.
Ismet, however, said the Jakarta municipality could not simply force its plan through and turn the land into a garbage dump without the permission of the authorities and residents of Tangerang.
"It's the Tangerang administration, not Jakarta, which has authority over the site," he said.
Ismet suggested Jakarta reconsider its plan and make other use of the land it had already purchased for the dump.
"It's up to them (Jakarta authorities) to decide. They may develop the area into a housing complex or sell it to prospective investors.
"But don't turn the site into a garbage dump," he said.
"I think it's inappropriate for Tangerang to be Jakarta's garbage den, especially when the city (Tangerang) is developing fast," he added.
Ismet said his office had yet to receive the complete proposal on the garbage dump from the Jakarta administration.
Rice fields
The site proposed as the new dump for tons of trash from Jakarta is currently home to numerous rice fields.
Cimaceri River, which also runs through the site, is the main source of water for Tangerang's tap water company.
The Jakarta Sanitation Agency, which is in charge of the proposal, reportedly bought the land from locals at between Rp 2,500 (35 US cents) and Rp 3,000 per square meter.
Ciangir community leader Halimi said locals were forced to sell their land cheaply because the dump proposal was classified as a government project for the benefit of the public.
"The residents had no choice but to agree to the offer," Halimi, 50, said, adding that the land was still being cultivated by local residents.
Aware of the Tangerang administration's opposition to the planned dump, former land owners have said they will demand higher compensation from the Jakarta administration if it uses the land for purposes other than the dump.
"If we knew the land would be used for other projects, such as real estate development, we would not have sold it that cheap," local resident Syarif said.
Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration indicated it was considering canceling the planned construction of the garbage dump in Ciangir after questions were raised about the viability of the plan.
Governor Sutiyoso said last September "the opening of a new garbage dump will only move the same problems from Bekasi to Tangerang".
The Jakarta administration has decided to allocate Rp 10 billion for the renovation of the Bantar Gebang dump, which was designed to hold Jakarta's 23,000 cubic meters of garbage per day until 2004. (41/edt)