Bekasi home to 200 polluting firms

BEKASI: Some 200 companies in Bekasi pollute the people's wells as they dump their waste in ditches without proper waste treatment, a local councillor says.

Deputy head of the Bekasi Council Commission B on economic affairs Nurul Yaqin Setiabudi said on Friday that many people had lodged complaints about the pollution with the council as well as the local administration. The people also demanded that the polluting firms be punished, Antara reported.

The companies are violating Law No. 5/1984 on the environment, Setiabudi said, adding that his commission had formed a team to deal with the issue.

"We urge the companies to buy equipment to process their waste," Setiabudi said.

A palm oil producer said he had no facility to process the waste, but said that he would consider buying such equipment. --JP