Ahead of Asian Games, `Black` River near Athletes` Dorm Covered
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Kamis, 1 Januari 1970 07:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sentiong River, Sunter, located near the Asian Games athletes' dorm in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, is teeming with waste and producing rotten smells. Due to its dark water, people have dubbed the foul-smelling river as Kali Item or black river.
The city government deemed the smells would be troublesome considering Asian Games participants would arrive in the capital next month. To overcome the problem, city officials have covered up the river using black nets.
“Sentiong River is usually called Kali Item due to its high pollution,” said Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan in the City Halls, Friday, July 20. “For years, [the river] color is black and smelly.”
Anies said the smells were strong in daylight because of evaporation and the wind. He added the government had strived to stem the pollution issue in Kali Item and asked several environmental experts to cope with it. “One of the suggestions is to cover the river up so as to reduce the water evaporation,” he mentioned.
Read: Ahead of Asian Games, Air Quality in Jakarta below WHO Standards
Anies then instructed his staffers to wrap up the river with giant nets. “It’s not about covering the black color of the river, but also the smells,” he added.
Aside from that, Anies planned to deploy workers to lift up the waste floating in the river next week. “It’s being prepared,” Anies said.
Complaints on the smells of Sentiong River were voiced by Jakarta secretary Saefullah when visiting the athletes' dorm in Kemayoran on July 19. The issues of sanitation and neatness were among the priorities of the city administration ahead of the Asian Games in August 2018.
ZARA AMELIA | MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO