DLH Semarang Plans To Relocate Residents' Cows At TPA Jatibarang

Rows of cattle cages in the Jatibarang TPA area. (ANTARA/HO-DLH)

SEMARANG - The Environment Agency (DLH) of Semarang City, Central Java plans to relocate cows belonging to residents in the Jatibarang Final Disposal Area (TPA) in line with the ban on grazing in the area. The head of the Semarang City DLH, Bambang Suranggono, explained that the presence of cattle in the Jatibarang TPA area had since 1997 started with the assistance of 45 cows to local residents to increase their income. "Friends (cultivators) started first because they are residents of ring one closest to the TPA. Because they need additional income, they raise livestock. Initially there were only 45 livestock, now there are quite a lot of them," he said in Semarang, Antara, Sunday, September 24. Of only 45 cows, he said, currently the cattle have grown to around 1,300 farmers, whose cages are located in the Jatibarang TPA area. According to him, DLH is still discussing the cattle relocation plan with local residents and the Semarang City Government has also been looking for several points of land for assets that can be used for relocation sites. He explained that the current stage is still coordinating with the public to be willing, especially in line with the fire incident in the cattle coop some time ago in the Jatibarang TPA area. Later, he said, the government will build a relocation site for cattle cages, and will be accompanied by the Semarang City Agriculture Service in managing their livestock so that the cows become healthier. "That's what we did. Providing relocation land has been, preparing a budget for relocation. This is still a stage of deliberation with residents to be willing to be relocated (dang cattle)," he said. For the relocation site, Bambang mentioned his plan in the Pongangan area, Gunungpati District, which is a livestock area managed by the Semarang City Distan. However, if residents want a location in other assets belonging to the Semarang City Government, he said, DLH will try to get instructions from the Mayor of Semarang. "The residents want not to be far from their homes. This is also the city government, of course at the direction of the mayor, which place is trying as expected," he said. Previously, a fire hit the Jatibarang TPA area, Semarang City, on Monday (18/9) afternoon and only entered the cooling process on Tuesday (19/9) at around 04.00 WIB. There are at least two burned zones in the Jatibarang TPA reaching five hectares. Each zone, one which is a former waste TPA that is no longer used and the former fertilizer factory zone under it. Not yet completely cooling the former fire, the Jatibarang TPA caught fire again on Friday (22/9), but the location is different from the first fire. This time the fire engulfed a row of cattle cages in the area.

Although the fire was not as big and far from the first location, the fire in the cow's cage killed at least three young cows belonging to local residents.