PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - A number of young people who are members of the "Garut Berseka" community in Garut Regency carried out a clean-up action in the Citameng River, Gadog Village, Garut Regency, Sunday (19/11/2023).

Garut Berseka founder Ihsan Munawwar stated that this activity involved Sukawening Village officials, KNPI Sukawening, and the local community.

Ihsan said that cleaning rivers is a shared responsibility to maintain a clean environment. For this reason, several youths who were involved in the clean-up activity this time also involved youths from various regions, including Mulabaru Village and Karangpawitan District.

In its action, Garut Berseka succeeded in collecting around 50 bags of rubbish, including plastic, wood and baby diapers. Ihsan highlighted the problem of baby diapers as the biggest contributor to waste, but believes that this will be broken down by animals in the river.

"Then diapers are the ones that are the most abundant, the ones we encounter most often, (even) diapers and their contents, this is of course part of environmental pollution, although later it will be part of what will be broken down by animals or in the river itself," he said .

Garut Berseka, lancet Ihsan, aims to make Garut clean, fragrant and clean by 2040, has carried out similar activities in around five rivers in Garut Regency. He emphasized that every activity is carried out with members' personal funds, as a real contribution to keeping the river clean.

"Therefore, let us together from KNP, from Sukawening Village officials, or from Garut Berseka, urge the public not to throw rubbish carelessly," he said.

In its activities, Garut Berseka itself has been actively cleaning around 5 rivers in Garut Regency. According to him, this is part of a concrete step for a young man who not only says a lot but also takes many real actions.

"Of course, this is part of our concrete steps as youth, to provide the best solutions for society," he said.

Ihsan said, in every activity, Garut Berseka itself purely uses funds from personal pockets, this is part of Garut Berseka's real contribution to the people of Garut Regency, so that the river flow in Garut Regency can be cleaner and less polluted. He also asked for cooperation from the people of Garut, so that they have awareness not to throw rubbish carelessly into the river.

"Of course there must be cooperation from the RT, RW, village and Garut Regency governments to resolve how this waste problem can be decomposed properly," he said.

Apart from inviting people not to throw rubbish carelessly, Ihsan also wants cooperation between the RT, RW, village and Garut Regency governments to solve the waste problem properly.

Ihsan explained that Garut Berseka began to form from the restlessness and anxiety of the youth who had now joined, seeing problems in the field, especially river cleanliness. Seeing these problems, young people are not just silent but also want to make a real contribution to society and the environment.

"Until finally we committed for approximately 2 months, decided to become the Garut Clean Team, and committed until Garut could be Clean, until Garut could be better, until Garut could be cleaner," he said.

He hopes that all elements of society, as well as the government, can jointly take responsibility for preserving the environment by not throwing rubbish carelessly.

"Our hope is for the public not to throw rubbish carelessly, and also let us together close the taps for rubbish in the community, so that rubbish is not thrown carelessly," he said.

Head of Sukawening Village Affairs, Lucky M. Rifzan, appreciated the Garut Berseka clean-up action as a noble act. His party held community service several times in each RW. However, this is considered not a solution because the waste remains, so ongoing cleaning must be carried out. He hopes that in the future budget, his party can provide rubbish bins in every RW.

"The message to the public is, at the very least, don't throw rubbish carelessly, hopefully there will be bins for the rubbish and hopefully the department can transport it," he said. (Diskominfo Garut/UPI)