Govt commitment urged for pollution control<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Environmentalists urged the government
\nyesterday to put into practice their political commitment to
\ncontrol industrial pollution.<\/p>\n
Senior activists from the Indonesian Forum for Environment
\n(Walhi) and the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL)
\naccused the government of not taking environmental disputes
\nseriously enough.<\/p>\n
In their joint statement, Walhi and ICEL said the government's
\ndetermination to combat environmental problems would remain
\nineffective unless it made drastic changes.<\/p>\n
\"So far,the government does not seem to consider industrial
\npollution serious,\" Emmy Hafild, Walhi's executive director said.<\/p>\n
The government program for pollution control, Proper Prokasih,
\nevaluates and rates the quality of waste water discharged from
\nfactories into rivers. Conducted by the Environmental Impact
\nManagement Agency (Bapedal), the scheme is not considered
\neffective.<\/p>\n
\"The program does not benefit anyone. It's not even effective
\nas a persuasive approach, except for publicity,\" Andik Hardianto,
\nfrom Walhi, said.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said the
\nrating could not be used as a legal instrument for suing
\npolluters because it served only to inform and assist affected
\npeople take legal action.<\/p>\n
Mas Achmad Santosa, ICEL's executive director, said industry's
\nlow compliance could not solely be blamed on a lack of government
\nlegal awareness.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, many of us have become skeptical about the
\nlegal system's independence, integrity and innovation.
\nEnvironmental cases on trial have often been dismissed due to the
\nlack of legislation,\" Achmad said.<\/p>\n
Strictly enforcing environmental law would greatly benefit the
\npeople but would deter the foreign investors wanting to invest in
\n\"dirty industry\".<\/p>\n
\"Those dirty industries are relocated to developing countries
\nthat do not strictly enforce environmental regulations,\" Emmy
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Between 1992 and 1996, 65 percent of all industries in
\nIndonesia were potentially polluting to the environment, such as
\nthe chemical industry, the textile industry, and the pulp and
\npaper industry, according to Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM)
\nstatistics, said Emmy.<\/p>\n
The activists said as a government environmental watchdog,
\nBapedal was a toothless tiger because it could take neither legal
\nnor punitive action against polluters.<\/p>\n
The activists also called for greater public access to
\ninformation lest the government program to tackle polluters was
\nrendered ineffective.<\/p>\n
Bapedal has refused requests from environmental NGO's to share
\ninformation about companies' performances saying the information
\nwas confidential, they said. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-commitment-urged-for-pollution-control-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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