Residents living in the Kebersihan Flat, RW 05, Cengkareng Barat Urban Village, Cengkareng Sub-District, West Jakarta, are protesting the existence of an illegal trash disposal site (TPS) behind their flat. Besides spreading rotten smell, the TPS also attracts many flies and maggots around the flat.

The TPS is clearly very annoying. Besides smelly, there are also many cockroaches, flies, and maggots there

Ikhsanuddin (50), one of the flat occupants, said the TPS has existed since 10 years ago. Ironically, the trashes dumped there are not only from surrounding area, but also from Cengkareng and Tangerang which transported by trucks at night.

Besides the locals who are disturbed by the rotten smell produced by the trash piles, the smell also brings inconvenience to hundreds of students of Satu Cengkareng Foundation SMP (junior high school), SMA (senior high school), and SMK (vocational school) as well as the people sporting in Cengkareng Sports Hall (GOR) near the TPS.

“The TPS is clearly very annoying. Besides smelly, there are also many cockroaches, flies, and maggots there,” lamented Ikhsanuddin, Thursday (5/1).

Responding this matter, Cengkareng Sub-District Deputy Head, Ali Maulana, admitted that he often received complaints from the locals about the existence of an illegal TPS behind Kebersihan Flat. He also acknowledged that the trashes there are not only from Cengkareng, but from Tangerang as well. That is why his party and the locals repeatedly expelled the dump trucks that wanted to dispose trash in that location.

“But due to lack of personnel and residents on guard, those dump trucks are still dumping trashes to that illegal TPS,” he told.

According to Maulana, his party has reported residents’ complaints to West Jakarta Mayor to follow up on this matter immediately.

Unfortunately, when beritajakarta.com contacted Head of West Jakarta Cleanliness Sub-Department, Wahyu Pudjiastuti, to ask for confirmation, her cell phone was not active.