House expresses concern over widespread, unchecked pollution<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) expressed
\nconcern yesterday over pollution levels in Java and Sumatra, and
\nurged the government to tighten control over waste dumping.<\/p>\n
Commission X in charge of ecological affairs warned that
\nunchecked disposal of toxic waste has not only contaminated the
\nenvironment, but also poses a health risk to human beings.<\/p>\n
\"Highly toxic waste was found in some residential areas in
\nEast Kalimantan, Central Java and West Java,\" Commission
\nspokesman Jusman Tahar said when reporting on the findings of
\nrecent visits to the provinces.<\/p>\n
In Riau poisonous waste comes from ships which dispose of oil
\nand trash into the sea, contaminating the shores of the fast
\ndeveloping Batam, Bintan and Mapur islands, he said.<\/p>\n
The commission urged the local government to intensify marine
\npatrols in Mapur, which has apparently been turned into a dump
\nfor industrial waste from Singapore, he added.<\/p>\n
It also found pollution rife in the Asahan River, North
\nSumatra, although the major source has long been identified: pulp
\nand paper manufacturer PT Inti Indorayon Utama.<\/p>\n
\"The supremacy of law should be strictly upheld to stop the
\nliquid industrial waste (from the paper plant),\" Jusman said.<\/p>\n
The multi-billion dollar pulp and paper plant has been
\nconstantly under attack from the DPR and local residents who
\ncharge it of rampant logging and polluting the environment.<\/p>\n
The commission urged the government to issue a \"strong
\nwarning\" to two East Java paper factories, PT Pakerin and PT Ero
\nKABA, for dumping their waste into the Porong River without
\nproper treatment.<\/p>\n
\"The river water is blackish in color and it stinks,\" Jusman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Industrial pollution was also reported to be rampant in the
\nCentral Java town of Klaten where thousands of residents near the
\nGondang sugar factory have been breathing \"black powder\" emitted
\nby the plant for many years.<\/p>\n
Jusman said the powder resulting from malfunctioning filters
\nhas been falling as far away as two kilometers around the
\nfactory, blackening tiles and probably contributing to the poor
\nhealth of the residents.<\/p>\n
In South Sulawesi, household and industrial waste has also
\nruined the Losari Beach's chance of becoming the province's major
\ntourist destination.<\/p>\n
Slack supervision of waste dumping has led to the beach
\nbecoming badly contaminated with urban waste, and the government
\nshould cope with the problem before it goes ahead with its plan
\nto develop it, Jusman said.<\/p>\n
The commission recommended that the local government build
\npublic dumps provided with waste treatment facilities to minimize
\nthe danger posed by the toxic waste.(pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-expresses-concern-over-widespread-unchecked-pollution-1447893297",
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