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)