World Environment Day, BEM UI Cleans The Ciliwung River

Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Department of Environment of the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI) together with the Ciliwung Care Community (KPC) Ciliwung River Clean Community Movement (Gema Bersuci) held a clean-up activity on the banks of the Ciliwung River in East Pejaten Village, South Jakarta. This activity was carried out to celebrate World Environment Day.

The Head of the Environment Department at BEM UI, Kevin Wisnumurthi Adhi Nugroho, said that World Environment Day is the right moment for humans to care more about the earth and everything in it.

“The first World Environment Day was initiated with the slogan 'Only One Earth'. Now, in celebration of the 48th Environment Day, the slogan is echoed again. The slogan means that we only have one planet to live in," Kevin quoted Antara, Sunday, June 5.

"Therefore, we should take care of the only planet that has bestowed many natural gifts on us. In this case, protecting and preserving the Ciliwung River which is one of the pillars of life is also our responsibility, especially those who live in its vicinity. ," he continued.

Kevin said that cleaning the Ciliwung River was the right step to take because according to him, the pollution in the river was already in an alarming condition.

The reason, according to him, was around 1967, construction in Jakarta began using sand mined from Ciliwung. Then in 1970, Ciliwung began to be polluted by waste, including plastic waste.

"This is no longer the time for all of us to blame each other and this clean-up action should be carried out in collaboration with all existing stakeholders, including the government, the community, environmental organizations, and business actors," he added.

The clean-up activity also involved the UPK of the DKI Jakarta Environmental Service Water Agency, scouts at MTsN 23 Jakarta, residents around the location, and the general public.