R

esidents of Ciangir village in Legok district, Tangerang regency, protested Monday at the local legislature in Tigaraksa over a planned waste-treatment plant to be built in their area.

The 98-hectare state-of-the-art plant will be jointly developed next year by the Tangerang regency and Jakarta administrations.

"We the villagers ask the council to review the planned waste-treatment plant in our village," said self-proclaimed village representative Deden Ade Suryana.

The dozens of protesters were met by the council's Commission C, overseeing environmental affairs.

Deden said local residents opposed to the plant were concerned about the possible adverse impacts to their health and to the environment once the plant was up and running.

"Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar and his deputy, Rano Karno, have repeatedly said the plant is environmentally friendly and safe thanks to its zero-waste system," he said.

"Unfortunately, no one can guarantee this, so it remains mere lip service."

In response to the villagers' protests, the council said it would form a special committee to discuss the matter.

"We'll set up a task force to discuss the issue in depth and seek a win-win solution for both parties," said Hendra, a councilor from Commission D, which oversees development affairs.

He added his commission would also seek clarification from the regency administration over the planned plant and all related issues, including plant management, environmental impact, legal permits and agreement with the Jakarta administration.

"In short, we'll study all the details of the joint waste-treatment plant," Hendra said.

"This task force will follow up with field visits, if necessary, to verify the information."

The Jakarta administration signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tangerang regency administration on Aug. 28 to develop the joint waste treat-ment plant.

Regent Ismet and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo signed the document after years of protest by Tangerang residents.

Assurances that the plant will be environmentally friendly and produce zero waste are reportedly winning some converts, with Ismet promising the "sophisticated technology" used in the waste treatment will ensure no impact on local residents or the environment.

The system combines an anaerobic digester with a landfill gas trap, with no trash remaining, supporters say, thus not polluting the water or the land.

The Jakarta administration will start the tender process for the waste-treatment plant, worth Rp 700 billion, later this month, with the plant scheduled to go into operation in 2010.

Fifty hectares of land in the area will be developed to manage 2,500 tons of waste a day - 1,500 tons from Jakarta and 1,000 tons from Tangerang.