VIVAnews – Haji Chaerudin never gets tired of fighting for nature. The local people call him “Bang Idin.” Along with the Sangga Buana farmers association, he is continuously campaigning to ‘re-green’ the riverside.
He created an astounding 40 hectares of recreation forest at the riverside of Pesanggrahan River, Karang Tengah, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta. Here, the man who always wears a full traditional Betawi outfit including peci (cap) and a machete allows each visitor to take whatever they want from the forest while they are fishing at the river. “It’s free, as long as you don’t cause any damage to them,” he said.
Each year, there are approximately 4,000 visitors, locals and foreignesr alike, to “Bang Idin's forest” to enjoy its beauty. Guided by a number of volunteers, visitors are invited to see several thousand trees throughout the forest, including fruit-trees, vegetable-trees, as well as medicinal plants.
In fact, a number of rare trees in Jakarta, such as buni, jamblang, kirai, salam, tanjung, kecapi, kepel, rengas, mandalka, drowakan, gandaria, and bisbul thrive there. They owe their existence to Bang Idin who felt concerned about the condition of Pesanggrahan River in late 1980s.
Bang Idin, who was born on 13 April 1956, missed the beauty of the river which he used to enjoy during his childhood. On board a banana raft, Bang Idin explored the river for five days and six nights. He recorded each damage in detail. He tried so hard to figure out where the singing bird, the fish, and the various animals at the riverside have gone. He was also trying to find out why the river was so dirty and the riverside so barren.
The adventure made his obsession to recover the ‘health’ of Pesanggrahan River even stronger. Therefore, he began his mission and tireless efforts to clean up garbage from the river and illegal building from its riverside.
The earlier days of his struggle were difficult. He frequently had quarrels with people who threw their garbage carelessly, especially the owners of several luxury houses near the riverside.
However, Bang Idin had his own unique way to create their awareness. He subsequently collected the garbage and put them into a plastic bag, and he would hang them on their fences. “I want them to realize that garbage stink,” he recalled the event of years ago.
His tactics were successful. Gradually, people began to show more concern for the environment. In fact, several owners voluntarily demolished their buildings at the riverside for greening purpose.
In addition, Bang Idin and his colleagues successfully resuscitated seven dried water springs. The river color is no longer black, and it was healthy enough for fish breeding.
His action has gained recognition from national and global institutions alike. These included Kalpataru, award for water conservation, and several other awards from Abu Dhabi, Germany, and the Netherlands. “I'm not proud of them. What can a reward do? It is better if the government provides assistance for the environment,” said the father of two.
Behind his harsh attitude, Bang Idin, who is only a junior high school graduate, only wants to prove to everyone that only people who understand the nature that can save them. “It’s people like me, who live at the riverside, who should be embraced. Ambassadors for the environment shouldn’t be good looking people, but those who really care for the environment,” he said.
Translated by: Edwin Solahuddin
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