Four years ago, Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto formed the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force. He was formed to overcome various problems that exist in the 119 km river, especially in the city of Bogor. After four years of running, how have the achievements been made?

On the sidelines of the Ciliwung river clean-up event on Monday (22/8/22), Bima said that the existence of the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force was very effective. It is important to overcome the flow of the river from the large amount of garbage and various other problems.

"Thank God this goes on. In addition to sorting waste, the Task Force also built new habits for communities around the Ciliwung riverbank. We want this activity to continue. Whoever the Mayor is, this Task Force has to keep going," he said.

Bima is committed that until the end of his term, he will focus on improving the governance of the Ciliwung river and various other environmental issues in Bogor City. Education and assistance to the community which is continuously carried out by the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force team, according to him, is very helpful to overcome various existing problems.

"This is an effort that must be continuously carried out. Today we remind you again that this movement is still there and must be even faster running," said Bima.

According to him, the performance of the Task Force has been effective in reducing the pile of waste along the Ciliwung river in Bogor City. He also claimed that the water quality in the Ciliwung river is now much cleaner than before. More and more parties are more concerned about guarding the river. Including the awareness of the government apparatus has also increased.

"There used to be a lot of garbage heap points. Now that point has been much reduced. Although garbage was still found, but it was the garbage that was carried away by the river water when there was a flood. Under normal circumstances, the point of garbage heap has been lost a lot. This means that it can also reduce the risk of flooding in Jakarta. Reducing waste flowing to Jakarta," he explained.

He said that the point of garbage heaps along the Ciliwung river in Bogor City has been reduced by more than 70 percent. The existence of the Task Force is also effective in reducing the backlog of plastic waste by 500 kilograms per day.

"For this reason, we will allocate a budget for the Task Force in the APBD. The budget allocated is almost two billion per year," he said.

Not only that. His party also built an ecoriparian in the Sukaresmi area. Also built several thematic villages that focus on handling waste. So it is hoped that there will be no more garbage thrown into the Ciliwung river.

The same thing was also conveyed by Denni Wismanto, Head of the Bogor City Environment Agency. His party felt very helped by the existence of the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force. He said, the thing that carried out by the Task Force not only picking up garbage along the river. More than that, the Task Force also plays a role in assisting and educating local residents.

"That task force is an amazing piece. Over the past four years or so, the existence of the Task Force has been visible. If you just pick up trash, it's a normal job. But continuously educating the people around the Ciliwung riverbank so as not to throw garbage into the river is extraordinary. The task force invites people not to make the river a long landfill," he explained.

According to Denni, from 2020 to 2021, 18 percent of waste generation in Bogor City can be frozen. It can happen that there is also a Task Force role in it.

Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force activist Adi Saiman claimed that there have been many achievements made by his party throughout the last four years. Although he also realized, what he had done was still not perfect.

"There's still a lot of work to be done. But the changes that have occurred are already significant. Especially the changes in the behavior of residents along the banks of the Ciliwung river," he said.Adi said that before the existence of the Task Force, residents seemed to make the Ciliwung river flow a Landfill (TPA). As a result, a lot of garbage has accumulated and is not collected. Even if transportation is carried out, it is not up to ten percent.

"Indeed, garbage is still there. But when compared with the past, there are far fewer of them. There used to be 87 garbage heap points. Now it's gone," he said.

Even if there is still garbage, continued Adi, it usually happens because it is carried away from upstream. In addition, other residents were still found who just threw garbage into the Ciliwung river. But he claimed that the awareness of residents living on the banks of the Ciliwung river has been high so that no one litters anymore. That's what causes a new garbage heap point to occur. But when it was discovered by the Task Force team, it was immediately addressed.

"I hope that the Task Force will remain even if the Mayor of Bogor changes. Because efforts to educate and assist residents must be carried out in a sustainable manner. But of course there must be other innovations as well. A good river and garbage governance system must also be built."

Plastic Smart Cities

Since August 26 last year, Bogor became the first city in Indonesia to declare the Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) program. Bima said that the global movement initiated by WWF was in line with the vision of restoring the Ciliwung river. Psc said that it supports the activities of the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force while reducing the backlog of plastic waste in the Galuga landfill.

"PSC is a continuation of the Trust issued to ban the use of plastic bags. So we're also moving to downstream it. This means that not only is the plastic waste sorted, not only is it reduced, but it is processed to be useful."

Bima also said that the PSC supports the circular economy concept. It is also in line with the Bogor City Government program. He is committed to synergizing to make the PSC program a success. One of the supports thatgiven is allocating a budget for a companion. Also prepare the land for an integrated plastic waste treatment plant. One of them is in Mekarwangi covering an area of 500 square meters.

"We also prepare it in Bantarkemang. The problem of plastic waste is not enough to reduce and educate. But various efforts must be made to downstream it."

Same with Denni. He said that the PSC was in line with the Ciliwung River Naturalization Task Force program. According to him, the PSC program is important to unravel various waste problems, especially plastic waste.

"To unravel various waste problems, it must be done with collaborative efforts with all parties. We are one example of several cities in Indonesia that have succeeded in waste reduction efforts. We already have the Trust and we have also now begun to do some ways to reduce, collect, and manage waste. It has been implemented continuously," he said.

Adi said that what he did was closely related to the PSC program. Because according to him, to solve the problem of plastic waste, it cannot be done alone. It requires slick collaboration with various parties.

"The PSC program is very helpful. This is what will synergize and then become a force in waste management activities," he said.***