A man tries to steer his raft through a patch of water hyacinths while looking for fish in Lake Tipar in Cimanggis, Depok.
For many Tipar residents who earn a living through fishing in Situ Tipar (Tipar Lake) in Cimanggis, Depok, water hyacinths are a great nuisance. The water hyacinths now cover most of the lake’s surface, making it harder for them to get fish.
Depok administration heard about the problem and deployed a dredging machine to help clear the hyacinths.
Afterwards, they heaped the uprooted hyacinths onto the banks of the lake.
Research, however, shows that the water weeds could be useful. These plants could absorb heavy metals, which could help reduce pollution if liquid waste is dumped into the lake, for example.
Studies show that keeping a covering of water hyacinths over less than 50 percent the water surface is good for a body of water itself.
Others show that the stems of the hyacinths could be used as a fuel. They can also be transformed into beautiful bags or sandals that shoppers find in handicraft stores, and even in luxury shopping malls.
Tipar residents, however, say there has not been any training for them to turn the hyacinths into something beneficial for the local economy.
They say what the administration did was to send a machine to clear a problem that would eventually grow back.
— Text and photos by P.J. Leo
