Regrets The Attitude Of The DKI Provincial Government Which Ignores Responsibility For The Findings Of Lead Substances In The RPTRA

DKI Jakarta City Hall Building (Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - It has been two years since Nexus for Health, Environment, and Development (Nexux3) has been waiting for the DKI Provincial Government to follow up on the findings of lead substances in playing facilities at 32 RPTRAs in the Capital City.

Unfortunately, since 2019 until now, the DKI Provincial Government has ignored these findings. This was acknowledged by Nexus3 Senior Advisor, Yuyun Ismawati.

Yuyun explained that initially the nonprofit organization issued research results that 32 RPTRAs in Jakarta were identified as containing lead in the paint for children's toys.

This is considered dangerous for the health of the child. WHO has also stated that lead is one of the heavy metals that endanger public health.

"In terms of toys with lead paint, it's dangerous. Fine lead dust from paint that rubs off when a child plays and holds the surface of the toy can be inhaled by the child," said Yuyun when contacted, Monday, November 15.

After the study results were released, Nexus3 submitted an audience with the DKI Provincial Government. The hearings were held three times. Instead of presenting a solution, Yuyun said the provincial government had instead asked her for Nexus3 to take care of it.

The DKI Provincial Government has asked Nexus3 to carry out lead-in-paint checks in all RPTRAs. The DKI Jakarta Department of Empowerment, Child Protection and Population Control (PPAPP), Yuyun acknowledged, had also asked Nexus3 to repair the RPTRA facilities on the research findings of lead.

"It's really strange that Nexus3 is asked to be responsible for the findings in 2019? This kind of response or reaction is very wrong and ridiculous. RPTRA is actually a public space and facilities belonging to the Provincial Government, which should have a budget allocation for maintenance and operations," said Yuyun.

It doesn't stop there. Because there was no support from the provincial government, Nexus3 finally moved on its own to raise funds and look for sponsors to repaint the playing equipment in the five RPTRAs.

He received assistance from two paint companies to paint four RPTRAs and another using funds raised from the fundraising platform.

After coordinating with the RPTRA management, Yuyun said that on October 23, they carried out the painting. The repainted gardens are RPTRA Bambu Petung, East Jakarta; RPTRA Amir Hamzah Central Jakarta; RPTRA Jeruk Manis, West Jakarta; RPTRA Kenanga, Central Jakarta; and RPTRA Penjaringan, North Jakarta.

Unfortunately, the DKI Provincial Government did not respond to this. "We sent a notification letter to the PPAPP Service that we will repaint 5 RPTRAs in the third week of October. There is no comment, response, any attention from the DKI Provincial Government," he said.

Yuyun admitted that her agency has not yet planned which RPTRA will be repainted. However, he still hopes that the DKI Provincial Government can intervene to overcome this problem and make rules that provide protection for children.

"If the provincial government is serious and responsible for public health and children's safety, there should be an allocation of provincial budget funds to monitor the RPTRA every year," he concluded.