East Jakarta Tightens Monitoring of Illegal Dumping Site After Fire

STUPA NEWS ■ JAKARTA  — Local authorities in East Jakarta will tighten monitoring of an illegal dumping site on vacant land in Penggilingan Baru I Street following a fire that sent thick smoke over the surrounding area, community officials said on Sunday.

Irman Riady, head of the RW 03 neighborhood association, said residents reported that the fire was likely sparked by children playing with fire near piles of illegally dumped waste.

He said waste disposal and processing activities at the site had never been authorized by local neighborhood leaders or the Kelurahan Dukuh administration.

"We have repeatedly prohibited the activity, both verbally and through written notices. However, some parties continue to dump waste at the site clandestinely," Irman said.

Authorities will increase surveillance under the coordination of the Dukuh subdistrict administration, with support from local RT and RW officials, to prevent further illegal dumping and reduce the risk of similar incidents.

Irman said firefighters contained the blaze before it spread to nearby residential areas. Fire crews responded shortly after receiving reports from residents and extinguished the fire within about an hour, although smoke continued to rise for some time because of waste buried beneath the surface. (Gusti Hd)