With a population density of nearly 15,000 people per square kilometer, Bandung is one of the most crowded cities in Indonesia. Nowhere is it more evident than along the Cikapundung, the river that runs across the city from the north - where its spring is - to the south where it meets the Citarum, one of the major rivers on the island of Java and one that this Daily Mail article says could be one of the most polluted river in the world.
The above photo is the crowded kampongs along the Cikapundung at Cihampelas area. As you can see, the river has turned brown, a sign that it is heavily muddy and polluted.
Our grandparents said that just about 50 years ago, this river used to be (was still) clear where people could bathe, play, and fish. Now, there is nothing there but polluted water and rubbish. Population explosion and incompetent and corruptive goverments have contributed much to this environmental disaster.
The distruction of the Cikapundung river valley is one of the major contributors of the floods that the lower southern part of Bandung has to endure annually.
3 comments:
Gosh Eki, this is a sad picture you paint in words and photo.
I had to look up Jerusalem's population density to compare. It is less than 6000.
It is a tribute to the people whose houses you show that they manage to live and call Cihampelas home.
Good luck getting the needed improvements to sewers and water quality.
Your photo does the story justice.
Well done!
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