T

he Jakarta administration will shut down backyard poultry husbandries and slaughterhouses in the capital following a recent outbreak of avian influenza in South Jakarta.

Health authorities in Jakarta last week culled dozens of fowl in Cilandak, South Jakarta, after some of the birds tested positive for avian flu.

Jakarta Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said on Monday that he had requested that any backyard poultry farms and slaughterhouses in the capital be relocated to anticipate the spread of the bird flu virus, also known as the H5N1 virus.

'€œBy 2017, there will be no more backyard farms and slaughterhouses in neighborhoods. I have told my officers to close them down,'€ Ahok said.

However, he admitted that the administration was still facing difficulties in relocating all farms and slaughterhouses in the capital due to a lack of sufficient facilities. Nonetheless, he added, his administration would soon address the problem with funds taken from developers in the capital through corporate social responsibility schemes or compensation funds.

Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security Agency head Darjamuni Taseda separately said that in response to Ahok'€™s instruction, his agency was currently preparing a proposal, as well as planning to provide sufficient facilities for soon-to-be relocated farms and slaughterhouses.

'€œWe want to accommodate all the farms and slaughterhouses but we still lack facilities. Nonetheless, we already have relocation sites,'€ Darjamuni said.

He added that the administration already had 14 shelters throughout the capital for relocating farms and slaughterhouses. It would build more in Rawa Terate in Cakung, East Jakarta and Rorotan in Cilincing, North Jakarta, as well as Petukangan in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta.

He explained that the facility in Rawa Terate would be 10,000 square meters, while Rorotan'€™s facility would be 4,800 sq m and Petukangan'€™s 3,000 sq m.

He further said that the administration had been inspecting farms and slaughterhouses in the capital and exterminating poultry found to be infected by the H5N1 virus.

He also added that the administration was acting in accordance with Jakarta Administration bylaw No. 4/2007 on Poultry Control, which stipulates that anyone raising poultry must obtain a license from the city administration, as well as keep animals at least 25 meters from residential areas.

Asked by reporters whether the administration had been met with resistance from farm and slaughterhouse owners regarding the extermination policy, Darjamuni said that the owners demanded compensation, but did not reject the policy.

'€œHowever, based on governor'€™s instructions, we will not provide any compensation,'€ Darjamuni said.

He called for Jakarta residents to report any symptoms of bird flu in their area so that the administration could eradicate the virus as soon as possible.

He added that in fighting the outbreak of the virus, his agency was working with other units, including the Jakarta Health Agency.