Janitors Found Dozens of Snakes in Kampung Apung

Janitors who scavenge an inundated site in the Kampung Apung, RT 10/01, Kapuk Urban Village, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, unbelievable shock because they found dozens of snakes that on the average have one meter long.

The snakes we found mostly dead squeezed by the excavator scraper and then we throw them into the disposal truck. While for live ones will be killed

One of workers, Sutisno (40) admitted that since three weeks ago, he and his colleagues was assigned to clean up Kampung Apung. Since the first scavenge using excavators, they have found dozens of snakes.

The types of snake found are Acrochordus granulatus and Enhydris plumbea with average of one meter. "The total number of snakes that we found is more than 30 snakes. And usually the snakes were stuck while dredging process," said Sutisno, Saturday (4/12).

Kampung Apung Problems Remain Unsolved

When he and his fellow workers found the snakes for the first time, they were afraid. However, because both types of snakes are not poisonous, they venture down to the the location to clean up the garbage.

" The snakes we found mostly dead squeezed by the excavator scraper and then we throw them into the disposal truck. While for live ones will be killed . There was also one small child python," added Sutisno.

Ma'mun (60) a local resident said that in the inundated location as high as two meters was filled with over 24 years uncleaned garbage. It is considered to be natural if that place become snakes’ breed, including large python type.

"In 2009, when the residents built PAUD near that site, they found two pythons with about six feet long. So, in this location there are many large python snake types that are still alive," explained Ma'mun.

Head of West Jakarta Water Management Public Works, Pamudji did not deny that the workers found a lot of snakes while dredging. "But so far, officials have not found any large snake, only small sized with a length of about one meter," Pamudji commented.

Regarding drying the inundated location, it will be focused on the ease and acceleration process. For the time being, improvement is being done by dismantling the concrete cover and dredging a half meters wide waterway located along Jalan Raya Kapuk.

"Later, after the garbage is transported completely, then we will do the drying process. For that, the garbage transporting should be done immediately and smoothly while the waterway is fixing," finished Pamudji.