TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner Arifsyah Nasution assessed that the government had failed to tackle lead or metal waste contamination in Jakarta Bay albeit it had established a reclamation project. According to him, the project has aggravated the pollution level.

“Reclamation only adds to Jakarta Bay’s burden and shows the government’s failure in dealing with the environment, both in the bay and coastal areas of Jakarta Bay,” said Arifsyah, Monday, November 4.

Arifsyah said the government initially aimed at restoring the environment when carrying out the reclamation project. Yet, pollution remained and, in fact, with or without the project, it still had the potential to pollute the areas, he explained.

The areas include Thousand Islands regency or Kepulauan Seribu. He was worried that without the reclamation, the waste would flow to the island’s National Park and damage coral reefs. However, with the existence of the artificial island, the waste would be clogged around the island.

Arief mentioned that waste pollution in Jakarta Bay had been going on for a long time and was an old issue the government had never resolved to date. Therefore, he suggested either central or regional government control the waste disposal from the upstream.

“In North Jakarta, there are many upstreams. Some are located in the border areas of Bekasi and Jakarta, Jakarta and Tangerang that needed to be checked.”

LANI DIANA WIJAYA