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Jakarta land acquisition issues hamper waste treatment plant development
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Members of the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) scatter about 500 kilograms of DeoGone, a powder deodorant, into the Sentiong River on July 29 to try and reduce its stench. The Central Jakarta river has been dubbed 'Kali Item' (black river) for its severe pollution. (kompas.com/File)
T
he city administration has said the development of a waste treatment plant (IPAL) has been hampered by land acquisition that has caused chronic river pollution in the capital.
Water Management Agency head Teguh Hendrawan said domestic and industrial waste was often dumped in rivers and that most toilets dumped untreated human waste directly into rivers, causing heavy pollution.
Since acquiring new land was difficult, Teguh said the city administration planned to develop the treatment plant on land the agency already owned. A single IPAL developed on a 400-square-meter plot could process waste from 150 households.
Teguh added that he hoped to develop the plants on subdistrict and district land, as well as integrated child-friendly public spaces (RPTRA).
“It’s very difficult to develop IPAL in residential areas. [The residents] refuse it, even if we want to buy the land,” Teguh said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com, while he was on a monitoring trip to the Sentiong River in Central Jakarta.
The river and the unpleasant odor emanating from it have recently been in the media spotlight in connection with the upcoming 2018 Asian Games. The Jakarta administration has been scrambling to minimize the odor, as the Athletes Village is located next to the river.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said earlier that the city administration planned to develop more community waste treatment plants in the capital.
The administration is currently developing 10 community IPAL and public sanitation facilities at 44 sites in the city. (cal/wit)
