“This channel is great at capturing the reality around us. Keep up the good work. Those who live in densely populated areas are our siblings too, fellow Indonesian citizens. As a Jakarta resident from 1980, this depiction of reality is very good for raising our awareness,” commented a sympathetic account named @stjotw8698 on the YouTube channel “Walking Daily in Indonesian,” in a video titled “Exploring Small Alleys by the River in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.”This sentiment was echoed by a 55-year-old takjil seller we first met while exploring the alley. This residential area had also been visited by YouTubers, including Daily Walking in Indonesian.

Whosh…!

A fleeting gust of wind.

The metropolitan midday sun was scorching. Hunger and thirst gnawed at me. It was during the fasting month, and I was the only one observing it.

Thump…! Thump…! Thump …!

My steps began to enter a narrow alley behind Tanah Abang Market. Instinctively, my hands covered both nostrils. Mycompanions mimicked my action. My eyes suddenly widened upon seeing the river flowing right beside the alley. The gloomy atmosphere felt like a stab to my chest.

My brain immediately interpreted danger signals, triggering a nauseous response. Fortunately, I didn’t vomit. These danger signals were the foul odors emanating from the river, a blend of rainwater runoff, household waste, and animal carcasses scattered along its banks. Imagine the combination of those smells. Gloomy? Black? Dark?

The persistent problem of polluted rivers in Jakarta remains a terrifying threat. On average, rivers in Jakarta are exposed to moderate to severe pollution. According to the Ministry of Environment (KLH) records, most rivers in Jakarta, especially the 13 main ones, are heavily polluted. My colleagues and I explored one of them, Kali Jati Bunder. This river is choked with garbage, a consequence of irresponsible individuals. According to the Central Statistics Agency (2023), most rivers in Indonesia were polluted in 2022, with only 8.1% of the 111 identified rivers meeting quality standards.

Returning to the woman born in Tanah Abang, a foundation and a zinc roof stood over the river in the Kampung Tanah Rendah 7 area. Stacks of used brown boxes surrounded the woman, born in the 1970s, as she prepared her merchandise. This woman, dressed in a pink top with three-quarter sleeves, was named Ida. Her hair was covered with gray strands of struggle, though still interspersed with her original black hair. One of my female colleagues quickly approached the elegant-eyed woman, beginning with questions about the grim state of Kali Jati Bunder.

This fifty-year-old woman had grown up in a row of plywood houses in RT 09. Our conversation with her flowed, touching on the last major flood in the village in 2005. “That was the biggest one! Almost two meters high!” Ida asserted, her gaze sharpening. Ida’s former plywood house was submerged due to the strong current. “But now, thank God, it’s been repaired! We can live here. It happens to be an inherited house,” Ida added gratefully. Who would have thought that Kali Jati Bunder, now appearing bleak, was once bright and useful for the lives of local residents? “Back then, the river wasn’t this dirty! We could still use it to wash clothes and bathe. Its flow still reached the State Palace,” Ida exclaimed inher Betawi accent.

So what about the arrival of trash that made Kali Jati Bunder gloomy, black, and dark? “Is the source of this trash really from here or is it transported, Ma’am?” my female colleague asked skeptically. At that moment, we were truly skeptical about the origin of the trash in the river. “No! The source is from the market. There’s a trash bin here, so I don’t thinklocal residents throw trash away. The trash bin is collected by TPS officers every two days,” Ida emphasized, her voice slightly lowering. From the words of the middle-aged woman, a question arose in my mind. Is it true that all this trash comes from market activities without any involvement from the local residents? My skepticism and that of my colleagues intensified, pushing us to thoroughly investigate this issue.

Afterward, we politely said goodbye to Ibu Ida, leaving her with warm smiles as we continued our exploration. Step bystep, we moved forward, sweating profusely in the blazing midday sun. My finger occasionally wiped the sweat on my forehead that was almost reaching my cheeks, and my eyes focused again, ready for the next act. Thump…! The simultaneous sound of footsteps. My colleagues and I stopped for a moment, seeing a sluice gate right near the Kali Jati Bunder bridge. Ibu Ida’s words about the sluice gate immediately came to mind: “There’s a sluice gate there that, when it rains, opens automatically and flows here, but the water flows and the trash moves. If it doesn’t rain, it’s not openedbecause then it could flood!”

Suddenly, Ibu Ida’s words brought me out of my reverie. The harmonious melody of the beautiful call to prayer from the nearest mosque by the river. It was a sign for me to perform my prayers. My colleagues showed tolerance, faithfullywaiting for me to pray for a moment. They took shelter for a while in front of a pale light green mosque, with a row of resilient male vegetable vendors. After purifying myself with ablution, my body moved with calmness as it should. After my conversation with the Almighty, my colleagues and I continued our exploration.

We began by entering a narrow corridor squeezed by several dilapidated and old houses. Then, my eyes were treated to the sight of a gaping, uninhabitable house, covered with equally torn, old mattresses. There was also a single-room house filled with relatives engaging in various activities. At that midday hour, the friction between bodies and the sweat of relatives inside the house was evident. How pathetic, isn’t it?

We continued straight along the narrow alley. It turned out that my colleagues and I had reached the opposite village, Kampung Tanah Rendah Seberang, which is very close to Kampung Tanah Rendah 7. Then, our steps suddenly paused when we saw mothers chatting warmly in front of their houses. Yes, their names were Imeh, Iseh, Yanti, and Itok. We immediately approached them with enthusiastic greetings. Bubbling…! Foamy bubbles from boiling water began to emerge on the surface of an aluminum wok. Delicious snacks for breaking the fast, like perfectly cooked pastels, werealso neatly arranged. This resilient takjil seller looked busy preparing her merchandise. Again, we started with questions about the dark state of Kali Jati Bunder. “Yes, the smell reaches there. Right across from my house,” complained the woman who lived opposite the takjil seller, with a nasal tone. The problem of the pervasive odor from Kali Jati Bunder apparently spread to the opposite village. What is the meaning behind those who live side by side with this unpleasant smell?

Moreover, the dismal condition of Kali Jati Bunder also affected electronic goods. As the group of mothers complained, ACs, TVs, and refrigerators of residents around the river were prone to damage. “Those who are evicted, are willing, sis,” said Imeh, the takjil seller with a mermaid silhouette tattoo on her arm. It wasn’t just about the environment; they were also being bombarded with rumors about house evictions, with suspicions that a market or apartments would be built.Ibu Imeh made a statement that touched my small heart: “A small house in Tanah Abang is like a diamond. Even if it’s small, it’s easy to go anywhere!” Now, most residents who used to live in Tanah Abang have transitioned to areas like Citayam, Bogor, and Sudimara. However, these two women mentioned that those who live in those villages still seek livelihoods or work in the Tanah Abang area. “It’s hard to find income. In fact, those in Citayam move back here,” Yanti firmly stated. This is because Tanah Abang is the “heart of thecity,” very strategic, attracting many migrants who only want to earn a living in this city center. Borrowing an estimate from the DKI Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency, there will be 10,000-15,000 newcomers after Eid al-Fitr 2025. Today, Tanah Abang is known for its market, which is the largest wholesale center in Indonesia.

Returning to the gloom of Kali Jati Bunder. Similar to Ibu Ida’s statement, this group of women also affirmed that the floating trash in the river indeed originated from market activities. “But the orange troops (clean-up crews) come down tothe river once or three times a week,” Imeh promptly interjected. Behind the trash floating in the river, there was indeed the action of the orange troops who eradicated it. All the mothers also revealed the swiftness of the orange troops, even when heavy rain poured, they still jumped into the river. Is the swiftness of the orange troops in eradicating trash in this river effective and impactful? Unfortunately, not yet. In reality, trash still appears even after being cleaned.

Afterward, a local village official suddenly approached us with a friendly face. This veiled woman with glasses was the head of the RT, whose real name was Nurhasanah. “The smell is really strong, it’s just normal like that! At most, the river’s aura can make electronic goods need servicing once a year,” said the RT head with a slightly flat tone. In addition, Ibu RT also briefly touched upon another problem. “It’s just that we have a problem with houses on the riverbank. Thosewithout septic tanks, so the waste goes directly to the final disposal.

Now, that’s what’s being problematic!” Nurhasanah asserted with a little awkwardness. This problem is certainly involved in causing the unpleasant odor from Kali Jati Bunder. Just imagine. Every time residents relieve themselves, the waste flows directly to the final disposal without passing through a septic tank. So, when waste flows, we smell it ourselves. At that time, the combination of trash and human waste permeated every corner of the houses.

Referring to the statements above, it seems that those living side by side with the river have become accustomed to the extremely pungent smell. Black, dark, and gloomy, they face it in every movement. Their beloved electronic items also become easy targets due to the river’s grim condition. Observe with your heart. Isn’t it commendable? We ourselves might not be strong enough to survive living alongside that river.

After that, my colleagues and I were suddenly astonished as a white-skinned man, like a foreign artist, emerged from a simple house. Yes, the man was a foreign national who is now Ibu Imeh’s soulmate. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to talk to the foreigner because we had to continue our exploration. My colleague bought some pastels, and we warmly said goodbye to those resilient women for our next journey. We immediately turned back to leave the alley.

Thump…! Thump…! Thump…!

My footsteps echoed again. Before even leaving the alley, my colleagues and I were distracted by an old man sitting relaxed on a wooden board, contemplating the view of Kali Jati Bunder. From this, I concluded that the view is notalways beautiful to the eye. Then my colleagues immediately approached him, coincidentally intending to rest for a moment while enjoying the pastels. Crunch…! Crunch…! The sound of my colleagues’ crunchy bites. Meanwhile, as someone who was fasting, I tried to suppress the gnawing desires by swallowing a little. They reached their last bite. Wenny, one of my colleagues, and I tried to approach the white-haired man. Our introductory conversation began. “This river used to be deep, but now it’s shallow. Boats could even enter this river. And it used to be an irrigation canal too. Outside that sluice gate, there’s something called a ‘kombongan’ or German horse bath,” explained the old man often called Alik.

According to him, Kali Jati Bunder has undergone significant changes. What was once wide is now narrow due to urbanization in the heart of this city. Then, the old man, a native of Tanah Abang, joked a little about the difficulty of finding work. “Actually, it’s easy to find work in Jakarta, as long as you have the will!” argued the man who once worked at PLN, chuckling. The former truck driver also used an analogy, ending with laughter, “Like collecting a sack of plastic aday, multiplied by a month, that’s enough for college!” Referring to data from Central Statistics Agency (BPS) DKI Jakarta, the Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) in February 2025 was 6.18 percent, an increase of 0.15 percentage pointscompared to February 2024. Nevertheless, his analogy illustrates that with strong willpower, even a simple job has a great chance of achieving our dreams.

Meanwhile, the safety of residents around the river is also at stake because wild animals sometimes roam around the river, such as monitor lizards and crocodiles. It’s not just about enduring the smell, but also being vigilant about the threat of sudden attacks from wild animals. The man, who is currently working freelance, also raised the issue of the government’s plan to widen or evict land. “We don’t mind being evicted as long as there’s a proper letter. Now, there aremany landlords,” said the veteran’s son with a resigned tone. The majority of local residents agree to the eviction, but with a legitimate letter and mutual benefit.

There was something truly disheartening, something that touched my morality. It was about the orange troops who were rather negligent in fulfilling their responsibilities. As Alik put it, “There are already workers here. So, if you want to protest, someone is already doing the work, but they are very quick to clean the river only when officials inspect. And ifthere’s no inspection for four or three days, the trash remains.” Alik and other residents had protested, but they were ignored as if there were no problem at all. In addition, there was also an irregularity regarding the process of trashremoval by the orange troops. “So, the government wants the trash to be put into sacks. Then immediately put into the trash truck. The government provides hundreds of sacks, but here, when the trash is to be loaded into the truck, it’s just poured directly into the truck. Then the sacks are used again for other trash. Now, that’s what makes it smell,” Alik emphasized with a slightly amazed tone. So, are they truly negligent regarding their specific responsibilities?

We began our journey home. Upon exiting the alley, we saw the orange troops descending into the river. My colleagues and I, skeptical, immediately asked for their opinion. Unexpectedly, a stark contrast in opinions between the residents and the orange troops emerged. The statement that the trash originated from Tanah Abang Market was completely dismissed by these orange troops. “Yes, the condition is like this. It’s cleaned every day, but there’s still more and more trash,” said Angga, one of the orange troops, with a slightly awkward tone. We can see from the residents’ statements that the troops only clean the river 2-3 times a week, while the troops themselves claim to clean it every day. “As for shipments from themarket, no. For daily activities, yes. Some people just throw trash directly into the river,” asserted the orange troop who had been working for three years, with a slightly cynical tone. All the residents stated that the trash was indeed sent from the market, but the orange troops instead blamed the daily habits of the residents. So, who is hurting and who is hurting others?

Hiss…! Hiss…! Hiss…!

The roar of the wind under a gloomy sky. On the second day of our exploration, heavy rain poured down on us. After passing through muddy alleys that led to Tanah Abang Market. Rows of dilapidated and old houses. Often, their houses also served as places of commerce. Scattered trash still surrounded their lives. We also saw a housewife washing clothes with inadequate water. We reached a slightly shaky bridge. The walls near the river were covered with graffiti. Childrenwere cheering happily, accompanied by the pervasive smell of the river under gloomy clouds. They still radiated cheerful smiles despite the bleak circumstances.

We immediately passed them to take shelter in a small wooden shack, right by the river. The river’s flow grew darker anddarker. Its current carried various types of trash, from plastic and household waste to animal carcasses and tangled tree branches. Data from SILIKA of the DKI Jakarta Environmental Agency states that 31,123.81 (tons/year) of waste isunmanaged. Dong…! Dong…! Dong…! Meatball! Meatball! The sound of wood bouncing off a bottle. Suddenly, ameatball vendor carrying his cart also took shelter, only 5-10 steps away from the wooden shack.

The rain intensified. The river’s current rose higher. We looked up at the windows above, and there was a heartbreaking phenomenon. A lump of trash in a plastic bag plunged freely from the hand of an individual through an upstairs window. Without any awareness of environmental health, they threw it directly into the river. In fact, it wasn’t just one irresponsible individual, but others followed suit. If we look at last year’s data from the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN), waste generation in DKI Jakarta in 2024 reached 3,171,247.45 tons per year or 8,664.61tons per day, with an increasing trend year by year. This is dominated by easily biodegradable waste, accounting for49.87%. Waste management is also being intensified by the government from upstream to downstream.

Speaking of waste management, Kampung Tanah Rendah has already begun. On the third day of our exploration, my colleagues and I found a large box full of used plastic bottles in the corner of the alley. This box was labeled “PlasticPay” a tactical step to encourage public awareness of plastic waste by exchanging it for points. These points can then be exchanged for prizes or other benefits. Although this initiative does not directly have a major impact on reducing plastic waste in the local village, believe that a good movement doesn’t always start big, but it is the movement to begin. I suddenly remembered the words of an environmental activist when we discussed environmental problems:

“Because environmental problems are the art of being responsible to oneself. Those who die or perish due to environmental damage, believe me, you are also stained by their deaths.”Dimas Dwi Pangestu.