Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The capital's waste disposal problem remains unresolved, with city officials yet to reach an agreement with the Bekasi administration on the garbage dumping site in Bantargebang.

As the dispute staggers on, health problems are emerging among those who reside near the dumping site and environmental damage continues.

"We are still discussing the issue with the Bekasi administration. It's in progress," deputy governor for development affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi told reporters after Friday prayers at the City Hall.

However, Budihardjo failed to give an exact time frame setting out when and how the Bantargebang problem would be resolved.

The Bakasi administration has urged the Jakarta administration to close the Bantargebang dumping site at the end of this year, even though the working agreement expires in 2003 with a possible extension to 2006.

According to Bekasi mayor Nonon Sonthanie, the city administration's failure to manage the trash with sanitary landfill, as agreed, has caused widespread environmental damage and health problems in the area.

25,000 cubic meters or 5,000 tons of the trash produced daily by the city are transported to Bantargebang and simply piled out in the open, while the rest remains untransported.

"A lot of residents have been infected with skin diseases and experience difficulties in breathing.. we may end the working agreement before it is due," Nonon said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Asked about the city administration's plan to move the garbage site to Ciangir in Tangerang should the Bantargebang dump be closed, Budihardjo said that it would not be put into effect in the near future.

"We're still talking about that as well.. the location in Ciangir is quite distant and the project could be costly," he remarked.

Tangerang regency council has rejected Jakarta's plan to open a 100 hectare dump in Ciangir, fearing the same problems that are currently afflicting Bekasi mayoralty.