Govt closes down 'batik' factories in Setia Budi district<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty closed down several
\nbatik factories in Setia Budi district yesterday, enforcing a new
\nlaw that bans the factories from the area on the grounds that
\nthey are causing a pollution problem.<\/p>\n
"The closure is staged in line with a Gubernatorial Decree of
\n1993 which states all batik factories in this district should
\nhave been closed by April 1," South Jakarta Mayor Pardjoko told
\nreporters at the scene yesterday morning.<\/p>\n
The mayor led the operation, which involved officers from the
\nmayoralty Law and Order Bureau, police and army members.<\/p>\n
Yesterday was the first of three days slated for the mayoralty
\nto see if all 182 batik factories have closed down.<\/p>\n
The mayoralty believes that the effluent from the factories in
\nthis mostly residential area is responsible for the pollution of
\nthe Krukut River and that the installation of waste treatment
\nfacilities at the location are not possible.<\/p>\n
It is promising that such facilities will be built at the new
\nlocations.<\/p>\n
While the 1985-2005 municipal spatial plan has allocated the
\narea for residences and offices, other factories will be allowed
\nto continue in the area.<\/p>\n
The factories are to be relocated close to Jakarta. The three
\nbiggest, PT Windueka, PT ADRM and PT Batik Afri, also known as PT
\nRatna Dewi or PT Gita Yasa, have been given a reprieve until
\nApril 1, 1995.<\/p>\n
Rudjito, chief of the mayoralty Industry Office, said the
\nthree were allowed to remain because a feasible study showed it
\nwas very difficult to move their machinery within a year.<\/p>\n
"The three factories had imported their machines from abroad,"
\nsaid Rudjito.<\/p>\n
Rudjito said all the factories are to be relocated to Jababeka
\nCikarang and Lippo City in Bekasi, Kerawang and Balaraja in
\nTangerang and Parung Panjang in Bogor.<\/p>\n
According to the preliminary records of the mayoralty, 12
\nfactories are now under construction in Jababeka Cikarang, 50 in
\nLippo City, six in Kerawang, 56 in Balaraja, and 39 in Parung
\nPanjang.<\/p>\n
Another ten factories have reportedly changed to other
\nfunctions, including a shoe-factory and boarding houses. Owners
\nof five other factories had yet to choose between relocating or
\nchanging.<\/p>\n
Protest<\/p>\n
By midday, the team sealed three factories, all located along
\nthe "Gang Batas" alleyway, Kuningan Timur subdistrict.<\/p>\n
Muhasan Ali, whose factory occupying a plot measuring 1,800 sq
\nmeters and the first to be closed down, refused the closure,
\nsaying," If all the doors were sealed down, through which should
\nI go into my factory?"<\/p>\n
Ali, whose factory was reportedly founded in the Dutch
\ncolonial era, said his new factory on 1.6 hectares in Lippo City
\nis still not complete and pleaded for permission to allow his
\nmachines to remain there for another month.<\/p>\n
"I already stopped production as ordered by the governor. I
\nonly need time to move all the machines," he said.<\/p>\n
Responding to the plea, the team let one door of the factory
\nremain unsealed.<\/p>\n
Hermawan Solikin, who had a 3,000 square-meter factory
\nadjacent to Ali's, also protested the sealing.<\/p>\n
"I already moved my machines. I did nothing wrong," he
\nargued.<\/p>\n
The team stuck a notice on the wall of the factory saying the
\nfactory was already inspected.<\/p>\n
Hermawan, who had formerly employed 100 workers and produced
\nup to 400,000 yards of batik fabric per month, said he still had
\nno idea as to what kind of premises he would turn its former
\nfactory.<\/p>\n
"Maybe, I'll sell it to a developer who will then turn it into
\nan office," he said.<\/p>\n
The area is reportedly valued at approximately Rp 2 million
\n(US$937) per square meter. (jsk)<\/p>",
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