Luhut Wants The Harum Citarum Program To Be Controlled

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan (PHOTO VIA BETWEEN)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan invites all parties to succeed in the acceleration program for controlling pollution and damage to the Citarum Watershed (DAS) or the Citarum Harum Program.

"This program has been running optimally, I want to appreciate all parties who have worked hand in hand to make Citarum Harum a success," Luhut said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 7.

During his working visit to Bandung to inspect the Citarum, Luhut visited the Cicabe TPA and the Citarum Harum Task Force command center office located in the Dago area, Bandung.

At TPA Cicabe, it is planned to build an Integrated Waste Processing Site using RDF technology (TPST-RDF), through the Improvement Solid Waste Management Project (ISWMP) scheme. The TPST is targeted to start construction in 2022.

At the same location, a waste Recycling Center (PDU) has also been operating, which has been operating since 2019, with a focus on activities to sort, collect, and process inorganic waste.

The RDF TPST will process 20-30 tons of waste per day, which will become RDF fuel with a total of about 6 tons/day. The waste will be used by Indonesia Power for co-firing needs.

Meanwhile, at the command center office, Luhut saw firsthand how the command center directly monitored the condition of the Citarum River and its tributaries.

In his directive, Luhut conveyed the importance of ministries, institutions and local governments together with the community in the success of the Citarum Harum program so that the Citarum River, which was once known to be dirty, can return to clean and beneficial for agriculture, raw water and can be enjoyed for life.

"We have to make our next generation a pillar, lest they be hampered by nutrition and health because our rivers are polluted," said Luhut.

Meanwhile, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil as Commander of the Citarum DAS PPK Task Force reported the results of the implementation of the Citarum Harum Program which has been going on for three years.

"Three years ago this river was categorized as heavily polluted, but now we have a low polluted status," said Ridwan Kamil.

He also showed some of the results of activities including those related to the handling of water quality, waste and industrial waste, as well as tangible results from the rehabilitation of the Citarum watershed where several locations have changed drastically and become recreational areas that are of interest to the public.