Jakarta declares war on rats with bounty program

Jakarta declares war on rats with bounty program

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | October 20, 2016 | 06:16 pm


The Jakarta administration has earmarked Rp 80 million (US$6,152) to eradicate sewer rats, with a bounty program to kick off this year.

The funds would come from the General Bureau budget and trials would start soon, Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said on Thursday.

Djarot has previously vowed to pay residents a Rp 20,000 bounty on the head of each rat exterminated.

"We will try to implement the program this year. If the trial succeeds, we will continue it next year. The program won't require a lot of money. Just imagine, with Rp 80 million, we can catch 40,000 rats. That is a lot of rats," Djarot told journalists at City Hall on Thursday.

The city administration was now preparing the mechanism to implement the rat eradication program, he added. Once implemented, the program would involve district officials, Public Facility Maintenance (PPSU) and several working units in the city, he said.

The city eyes for residents to help eradicate rats from the sewer, not houses. No air guns or poison would be allowed to catch the rats, as the city urged residents to only use mouse traps, Djarot added.

Djarot called the infestation of rats in the capital dangerous for public health. (rin)