The residents in Utan Kayu Selatan (UKS), Matraman, East Jakarta, are complaining the condition of Utan Kayu River which strewn with trashes and silting because the mud in the river is never been dredged. Indeed, trash piles filled the six-meter wide river that passes RW 07 and 08 Utan Kayu Selatan.

Usually there were janitors who cleaned and picked up the trashes from the river. But every time the river cleaned, the residents dumped trashes into the river again

Hayati (40), resident of RT 12/07 Utan Kayu Selatan, said that Utan Kayu River is full of trashes because of residents’ bad habit throwing trashes into the river. The residents she meant are traders in Jangkrik Market which located about one kilometer from the settlement.

“Usually there were janitors who cleaned and picked up the trashes from the river. But every time the river cleaned, the residents dumped trashes into the river again,” she uttered, Wednesday (9/17).

According to Hayati, she and the locals are worried that if such a thing neglected, it would trigger flooding. Because of that, they hope for related unit to immediately clean the river before rainy season comes.

Responding that, Head of East Jakarta Cleanliness Sub-Department, Apul Silalahi, promised to immediately clean Utan Kayu River.

“We will clean it immediately,” he stated briefly.