Agency points finger at factory in pollution case

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) confirmed on Tuesday that a small river in Kampung Sawah, Rawa Terate subdistrict, Cakung district in East Jakarta, was extremely contaminated by a hydrocarbon compound.

Junani Kartawiria, the agency's head of environmental pollution control, told The Jakarta Post that the water had definitely been polluted by a hydrocarbon compound such as lubricant oil or diesel fuel.

The agency took water samples from the river and an artesian well last month to have tested.

"We will follow up on these findings accordingly," she said.

Residents from community unit 01, neighborhood unit 05 in Kampung Sawah are blaming the water pollution on PT Jakarta Cakratunggal Steel Mills.

Junani implied that the factory could be responsible for the pollution.

Officials at the subdistrict and local public health center also claim that the factory is polluting the area.

They also complain that other three steel casting companies -- PT Jakarta Steel Megahutama, PT The Master Steel Mfg. Co and PT Jakarta Prima Steel Industries -- also were also responsible for air and water pollution in the area.

However, no representatives from the factories could be reached for comment.

Junani said her agency had been monitoring the activities in the four factories for years but could not take them to court due to a lack of resources in the agency.

Separately, Environmental Task Force (ETF) chairman Ahmad Safrudin told the Post that the agency should take stern action to serve as a warning to the industrial sector.

He said the agency could charge the companies with violating a number of laws and decrees.

Safrudin also said the agency should not complain about a lack of resources in terms of time, budget and manpower.

He said that the BPLHD could take polluting factories to court, with the trial costs being covered by the state. The agency also has a special budget for such action, he said.

Governmental Decree No. 27/1999 states that the least the agency can do is to revoke the factories Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) report.

"Without an analysis report, a factory becomes illegal and as a consequence must close down," Safrudin said.

"If the BPLHD cannot take immediate action, then it should be dissolved."

Locals in Kampung Sawah make money by sorting out and selling up to 600 liters of lubricant oil and diesel fuel that they collect from the polluted river every week.

Despite making money off one form of pollution, residents and health officials complain that yellowish brown smoke coming from the steel casting factories is causing their health to deteriorate.

They refer the smoke as "dust showers", considering that at times dust falls like rain from the factories.

According to a publication released by the agency, any type of solids in the air such as smoke, dust and vapor that remain suspended for extended periods can cause cancer and bronchitis.