 Jakarta covers up 'stinky, toxic' river near Asian Games village Jakarta (AFP) July 20, 2018 - A toxic, foul-smelling river near the Asian Games athletes' village in Jakarta has been covered with black nylon mesh over fears it will be an eyesore at the showpiece event. Officials in the Indonesian capital have been scrambling to ready venues, finish building work, widen roads and address the city's notorious traffic congestion before the Games, which are being held from August 18 to September 2. But one of the sprawling city's toxic waterways, which backs onto the main residence for competitors, appears beyond immediate repair, so authorities this week decided to hide it. Some 730 metres (2,400 feet) of the Sentiong -- dubbed the "Black River" by locals because of its filthy dark appearance -- will be covered, Nelson Simanjuntak, a Jakarta water resources agency official, told AFP. "It's function is to elevate the beauty (of the river) so that the black water cannot be directly seen by international athletes," Supriyono, another official at the agency, told the Kompas daily. Authorities hope the black netting will also minimise the foul smell emanating from the river, which is partly caused by water evaporating under the tropical sun. Cutting edge "nano bubble" waste technology, which helps break down organic material and neutralise chemicals, is being deployed for the same purpose. Nearby, multi-coloured flags have been installed, while workers are painting a river bank retaining wall in vibrant colours. Some residents have already noticed an improvement. "Before, the river was so dirty and smelly... I hope this can be retained after the Asian Games," local man Busri Berlani told AFP. Jakarta is built on a river delta and has an extensive waterway system that is often used as a dumping ground for household waste. Trash-clogged waterways are a major contributor to annual flooding during the rainy season. Jakarta and Palembang in Sumatra are set to host about 11,000 athletes and 5,000 officials from 45 countries for the Asian Games, the world's biggest multi-sport event behind the Olympics.
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Blessed with a coastline that stretches for hundreds of kilometres across flat sandy expanses and rugged coves, Morocco's beaches should be a magnet -- but a litter crisis risks repelling sun seekers, citizens say.
On a small beach in the capital Rabat the words "Keep your city clean" are daubed across largely empty bins, seemingly mocked by the detritus on the ground.
The litter "spoils the pleasure", says 22-year-old Said, who has come to Oudayas beach for a dip with friends to cool off on a hot day.
"Unfortunately, people don't realise the importance of keeping beaches clean," he laments, surrounded by cigarette butts and other trash, just a few steps from the edge of the old city.
Some feel they are fighting a losing battle.
"Rubbish collectors clean the beach from top to bottom every morning, but in the evening, bathers leave it even dirtier," says a local official.
- 'Megaphones should be used' -
"Perhaps megaphones should be used to sensitise the people and embarrass the polluters," the official adds.
The state of this small beach in the capital is far from unique.
Every summer, Morocco's media publish reports lambasting the condition of sands stretching from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
A nationwide ban on platic bags imposed in 2016 appears to have done little to stem the tide of rubbish piling up on beaches, despite authorities strictly enforcing the measure.
The problem is in part generated outside Morocco -- Greenpeace estimates that the equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters the world's seas every 60 seconds.
And the activist group said in June it had found microplastics in samples collected in Antarctic waters.
But volunteers who take part in beach clean-ups say far too many Moroccans dump refuse without a second thought.
"In recent years we've seen water pollution increase due to a lack of awareness," says 45-year-old Mohammed el Machkour, president of the Al Marjane sporting association.
Only 21 out of 40 beaches nominated nationwide for the coveted international "Blue Flag" status have met criteria, due to litter, poor water quality and other issues.
In Morocco's commercial capital, netizens post indignantly on a "Save Casablanca" Facebook page.
"The people are disgusting," one post says; "there is no environmental policing," laments another, while a third demands the council provide more bins.
And it is not only beaches that are affected.
Returning from a recent lakeside walk near Rabat, Britain's ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly tweeted his horror.
"The place has been ruined by plastic waste, sandwich remains, bottles and filth... it was disgusting. Morocco deserves better", he said.
In a bid to shore up tourism, Morocco has launched several initiatives over the last couple of decades to improve the beaches.
An environmental body established in the king's name spearheads annual beach clean-ups and funds television advertising campaigns.
The Mohammed VI Foundation has also worked to improve water quality -- with some apparent success.
An analysis of 165 beaches at the start of the summer season showed 97 percent of waters "conform with microbiological standards", compared to 72 percent in 2002, according to the secretary of state for the environment.
- 'Send a message' -
But back in Rabat, people still complain.
The hygiene "situation isn't much better under the water", says 25-year-old Hassan, near the beach.
In early July, a local association asked divers to volunteer to clean Sale marina, opposite Oudayas beach.
After two hours in the water, the divers recovered a litany of items, from iron bars to plastic bottles.
"We have taken part in cleaning a patch of the waters -- hopefully people will understand the importance of keeping the beach clean," says 22-year-old diver Alaeddine.
The divers are determined to bring about a culture change, even as they swim against the tide.
"We don't claim to be able to clean all the sea and river, but we want to send a message on the importance of protecting the environment, above all to young people," says another volunteer.
Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up
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