Bengawan Solo water unsafe for consumption<\/p>\n
Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta<\/p>\n
Experts and officials have warned of serious environmental damage
\nin Surakarta, Central Java, and the six neighboring regencies of
\nSragen, Boyolali, Klaten, Sukoharjo, Wonogiri and Karanganyar.<\/p>\n
Besides decreasing the quality of the soil and depleting water
\nreserves, pollution in the Bengawan Solo River and smaller rivers
\nhas made their water unsafe for irrigation or human consumption.<\/p>\n
Research conducted last year by the Sragen environmental
\noffice found high concentrations of heavy metals like lead,
\ncadmium and copper in rice irrigated with water from the Bengawan
\nSolo River.<\/p>\n
Concerned about the environmental damage, officials of local
\nregency and municipal administrations, and members of local
\nlegislative councils, met last Monday in Surakarta and agreed to
\nwork together to battle the problem.<\/p>\n
The meeting, initiated by the Office of the State Minister for
\nthe Environment and the Surakarta Environmental Parliament Watch
\n(EPW), discussed various issues.<\/p>\n
It ended with an agreement to draw up integrated environmental
\npolicies involving local administrations, councils and non-
\ngovernmental organizations.<\/p>\n
\"The legislative councils have not been active enough in
\ndealing with environmental issues in their regions. As a result,
\nthe extent of the damage has increased, while the public are
\nvictims,\" EPW researcher Agus Dody Sugiartoto told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He said pollution in the Bengawan Solo River was mainly caused
\nby waste dumped into the river by factories located along its
\nbanks in Surakarta and Karanganyar regency.<\/p>\n
The two regencies are home to dozens of textile factories as
\nwell as some 300 other plants that produce chemicals, monosodium
\nglutamate and pesticides, in addition to a number of batik
\nfactories that release chlorine and dyes into the river.<\/p>\n
Agus Said said the EPW planned to conduct a survey of the
\nwater quality in the Bengawan Solo and a number of smaller rivers
\nthat run through Surakarta and Karanganyar. The survey will be
\nspecifically aimed at identifying all of the types of waste in
\nthe rivers.<\/p>\n
The results of the survey could be used by Surakarta tap water
\ncompany, which plans to supply customers with water from the
\nBengawan Solo.<\/p>\n
Forest destruction, including on the slopes of Mount Lawu and
\nMount Merbabu-Merapi, was also discussed during Monday's meeting,
\nduring which councillors acknowledged that Surakarta had no bylaw
\nto stop the environmental damage.<\/p>\n
\"Almost the whole of Boyolali regency is constantly being hit
\nby drought. Many forests that functioned as water catchment areas
\nhave been cleared by residents, but there is no bylaw banning
\nthis practice,\" said Boyolali councillor Anshor Budiono.<\/p>\n
Surakarta legislative member Eko Sutopo voiced similar
\nconcerns, saying numerous cases of pollution in rivers had not
\nbeen dealt with properly.<\/p>\n
Surakarta environmental office head Handartono admitted said
\nhe was powerless to take action against businesspeople whose
\nfactories polluted the rivers.<\/p>\n
\"The level of pollution in Surakarta is very alarming. We
\ncannot do much about it, though, because the relevant agencies
\nhave yet to arrive at a similar vision on environmental
\nmanagement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Deputy environmental minister Arie Djoekardi, who attended the
\nmeeting, said his office was only able to encourage regional
\nadministrations to draft bylaws to protect the environment.<\/p>\n
\"Our task is largely to prepare data and support policies by
\nlocal administrations, so they will establish a cooperation on
\nthe environment,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bengawan-solo-water-unsafe-for-consumption-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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