Traders Complain of Mounting Rubbish Piles at Kramat Jati Main Market
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Traders at Kramat Jati Main Market in East Jakarta are complaining about towering piles of rubbish that remain uncollected, disrupting buying and selling activities.
“Now the paths are getting narrower because of the mounting rubbish. It used to be more spacious, but now vehicles struggle to pass,” said one trader at Kramat Jati Main Market, Suratno (52), in East Jakarta on Monday.
He complained that the situation is interfering with trading activities, particularly due to the pungent smell and increasingly narrow access roads.
Moreover, the complaints are coming from several traders who operate daily around the Temporary Waste Collection Point (TPS).
They claim to have faced similar issues for quite some time, but to date, there has been no maximum handling.
Not only does it hinder access, but the rotten smell from decaying fruit and vegetable waste is also the main grievance. The odour even permeates into the traders’ stalls.
“We’re trading here, but the air is constantly smelly and enters inside. It’s very disruptive,” said Suratno.
Additionally, he stated that the condition severely affects the smooth distribution of goods at the market.
In fact, loading and unloading activities are a vital part of operations at the main market, which supplies food to various regions.
Similar complaints were voiced by another trader, Susanti (49). She assessed that waste management at the market has not improved, especially since traders continue to fulfil their obligation to pay hygiene levies.
“There’s no relief, even though the rubbish keeps piling up. We’re still billed every month, and even a slight delay gets us warned,” said Susanti.
She also mentioned that traders feel disadvantaged as they bear the direct impact of poor waste management in the area.
Therefore, she hopes for quick action from market managers or the government to address the ongoing rubbish problem.
“If left unchecked, this situation will not only disrupt economic activities but also potentially cause health issues in the market environment,” said Susanti.
The rubbish piles in the TPS area were seen towering up to around six metres on Sunday (29/3).
In fact, the height has surpassed the street lighting around the location. No rubbish collection activities were observed that day.
Additionally, puddles of water around the rubbish piles make the roads muddy and slippery, adding risks for traders and workers passing through the area.
Traders suspect the rubbish buildup is due to limited transport fleets to the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST). As a result, rubbish is not collected routinely and continues to accumulate day by day.