Bapedalda warns industrialists

TANGERANG (JP): A number of industrialists here ignored an invitation from Tangerang's Regional Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda) to attend a ceremony held in commemoration of World Environment Day at City Hall on Tuesday.

"I'll send letters of reprimand to them. Their absence could be considered an insult to municipality authorities," Bapedalda secretary Mochammad Harun said.

The municipality is home to some 1,000 manufacturing firms, including large-scale export-oriented factories.

According to Harun, his office mailed invitations for the event to some 30 companies.

"Almost half of them did not appear," he said.

Mayor HM Thamrin, he said, has instructed all factories that use Cisadane River to dispose of their waste to arrange clean-up campaigns for this Sunday to commemorate World Environment Day, which fell on June 5.

The mayor also asked the businessmen, including those owning hospitals, to plant trees and place banners promoting environmental preservation, Harun said.

Bepedalda, he explained, would supervise the activities by organizing boats rides on Cisadane River.

"Any factories that refuse to hold the activities will be severely punished and fined, and possibility be closed down," Harun said.

Businessmen who attended the ceremony vowed to follow the municipality's instructions.

The local authorities, he said, have decided to strictly control the quality of Cisadane River, from which water is also drawn for treatment by the water company to supply Tangerang residents. (41/bsr)