To dump or not to dump, that is Jakarta's question
To dump or not to dump, that is Jakarta's question
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bekasi
Although the contract between Jakarta and Bekasi on the use of
the Bantar Gebang dump expires at the end of this month, Bekasi
remains unsure whether Jakarta will be permitted to continue
dumping its daily 6,000 tons of garbage at the site.
Governor Sutiyoso has been confident of the contract's
extension, but he was apparently not so sure on Tuesday, saying
he was tired of the problem.
"Let's talk about that later," he told reporters at City Hall.
On Monday, Bekasi Mayor Akhmad Zurfaih told councillors that
no final decision had been made. His statement was contrary to
Sutiyoso's earlier statement that he had obtained "the mayor's
word" that the extension would be forthcoming.
Bekasi deputy mayor Mochtar Mohamad was more direct, he said
that Bantar Gebang would be reclaimed as a community area as
Jakarta had violated their agreement to regreen Bantar Gebang.
Mochtar offered Jakarta the joint use of the smaller Sumur
Batu dump in Bekasi as an alternative.
Bekasi's resistance irked City Council speaker Agung Imam
Sumanto, who told reporters that no resident of Bekasi would be
allowed to enter the capital, should Bantar Gebang dump be closed
to Jakarta.
Mistaking Agung for an administration official, Abid Marzuki
-- who claimed to be a prominent person in Bekasi -- said on
Tuesday that Bekasi's residents thought Agung's statement was
ridiculous.
"It is not proper for an administration official to utter such
a thing. The problem is between the two administrations, so don't
involve the innocent residents," Abid was quoted as saying by
Antara.
For years Jakarta and Bekasi have been in dispute over the
dump. In 2001, Bekasi municipality, backed up by the residents,
closed the site for weeks, leaving Jakarta bewildered over how to
handle the city's garbage.
Jakarta administration has claimed that it has made every
effort to find an alternative site but, so far, it has had no
such luck.