Government plans to tax river water users<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Settlement and Regional
\nInfrastructure Erna Witoelar warned on Monday that a tax could be
\nimposed in the future on those exploiting river water.<\/p>\n
Opening a two-day international course on planning and
\nmanagement of river basins in Jakarta, Erna said people living on
\nthe river banks, private companies and state-owned companies,
\nincluding provincial tap water producer (PDAM), could all be
\ntaxed for using the river water.<\/p>\n
"This is a way to make those exploiting river water
\nresponsible. The people must stop their habit of spoiling water.
\nThey must be held responsible for the quality of the river
\nwater," she said.<\/p>\n
However she said the plan was still at the discussion level.<\/p>\n
The imposition of any tax must also get the approval of the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
When asked about people living on the banks of rivers, Erna
\nsaid that they should start trying to treat the river in a more
\nresponsible fashion. "The pollution in the river is not only due
\nto the mistakes of those living on the rivers' banks. People
\nliving in other areas have also contributed to the river water
\npollution."<\/p>\n
She denied allegations that the government had always defended
\nthe families living on the river banks. "If their existence is
\ndangerous (both to the their own lives and the environment), they
\nwill be relocated. The most important thing is they will be used
\nto manage, not to spoil the water."<\/p>\n
Speaking about the connection between regional autonomy and
\nriver management, Erna said that regional administrations were in
\ncharge of rivers running through their areas. "Management of the
\nriver is no longer done by the central government."<\/p>\n
"If a river runs across a regency, it is the regency that will
\nimpose the tax on those using the river water in the area."<\/p>\n
Bandung<\/p>\n
In a related development, the head of West Java's Provincial
\nEnvironmental Impact Management Agency, Nia Kurnia said on Monday
\nthat most of 1,800 factories operating in the province dumped
\ntheir waste illegally into the rivers.<\/p>\n
"Until August, there are only 97 industries that have a legal
\npermit to discharge their waste into the river. That's the
\ncurrent situation in West Java," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said permits to dump industrial waste into the river were
\nin line with the Provincial Regulation No. 10\/1995.<\/p>\n
"It is the Public Works Office that is authorized to issue the
\npermits. Our agency functions as a coordinator for technical
\naffairs."<\/p>\n
He said the provincial administration had found it difficult
\nto implement the regulation. "The law enforcement has been too
\npoor. The industries started operation long before the regulation
\nwas produced. The administration is also lacking the technical
\nteam to implement the regulation."<\/p>\n
An environment expert of the Padjadjaran University, Daud
\nSilalahi, said that the law had never been seriously enforced.
\n"The administration, the Agency and the factory owners have a
\npoor understanding of the regulation. They think that the
\nregulation is not a positive law, which could see violators being
\ntried." (25\/sur)<\/p>",
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