Water firm to launch care program

JAKARTA (JP): PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ), a British-Indonesian tap water joint venture, is scheduled to launch on Nov. 22 a care program aimed at promoting environmental awareness and clean water in the city, an executive of the firm said on Thursday.

Nani Sariati, TPJ's sales and marketing manager, said the program's activities would include a rowing competition in a canoe-shaped rubber boat along the Tirem River in North Jakarta, the handover of food packages to 1,400 households from seven subdistricts and a writing contest.

The program, which begins on Sunday morning with a cleanup along the Tirem River, will end on Feb. 12 in conjunction with TPJ's first anniversary, she said.

The Tirem River is a tributary of the Ciliwung River, which passes through Tanjung Priok, Papanggo, Kebon Bawang, Koja, Warakas and North Rawabadak.

The program will be organized by TPJ in cooperation with Hotel Horison and the North Jakarta mayoralty.

Nani said the rowing competition will be participated by five teams from each subdistrict. "Each team will consist of 10 people," she said.

She explained that registration for the writing contest, a collaboration between TPJ and the Ministry of Environment, will begin on Nov. 23 until Jan. 30.

Interested writers, including journalists, can register at the TPJ office at Wisma Danamon Aetna Life building on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta, on weekdays or contact tel. 5772030 or fax. 5772040.

Nani said themes of the writing contest were conservation of the city's river water, groundwater conservation, the role of clean water in society and the impact of dirty rivers and benefits of clean rivers.

"The writings must be published in any print media between Nov. 23 and Jan. 30," Nani said.

There will be two winners for first prize, three for second prize, and four for third. Each first prize winner will receive Rp 1.5 million, each second prize winner Rp 1 million and third prize Rp 500,000, she said. (ylt)