Bike company faces environmental charges

Bike company faces environmental charges

JAKARTA (JP): Two officials of the city administration
testified before the East Jakarta district court Thursday that
the PT Menara Djaja bike company has heavily polluted the Ciracas
residential area's water for the last two decades.

An official of the local Investment Coordination Board, who is
also a member of the well-known River Cleaning Program
(Prokasih), told presiding judge Tony Hartono that he had
repeatedly warned the company to implement a water treatment
program.

"The first and the second warnings were sent to him in 1990,
but there was no response," Syafril Kasim said, referring to the
notice sent to defendant Mulyadi Salim, the owner and manager of
PT Menara Djaja.

Later, the administration sent a third warning in 1991, in
which the administration gave the ultimatum that it would take
firm measures against the company if it did not improve the
quality of its water treatment.

But the last warning went unheeded, prompting the government
to sue his company.

Yesterday, residents around the bike factory on Jl. Raya Bogor
told The Jakarta Post that they have repeatedly complained about
the deteriorating quality of their water supply since the bike
company began operating.

Zaini Saimin said that the water has a high content of chrome
and zinc. When used, the water irritates the skin. "We cannot
drink the water any longer," Zaini noted.

A government physician told the court that she had checked 60
people living near the factory and the results proved that those
people were contaminated.

"Most of the residents were poisoned by chrome. The serious
water pollution can cause skin cancer," Juliasti Salim said.

The large crowd attending the session, mostly officials of the
environment-related government agencies, could not control their
emotions and applauded every time the witnesses made a statement
against the defendant.

Indonesia introduced its environmental laws 12 years ago. (09)