Cautions for 76 companies

TANGERANG (JP): Owners of at least 76 industrial companies here have been warned to stop dumping their unprocessed waste or have their licenses revoked and stand trial in court.

Tangerang Environment Office head M. Harun said Tuesday that letters conveying the administration's strong warnings were delivered recently to company owners.

The letters also ordered the companies to build water treatment plants which could help purify the waste.

"The companies are also obliged to continually report their waste analysis," Harun said.

If the companies continued to ignore warnings and failed to help protect the environment, the administration would immediately revoke their licenses and bring the executives to court for violating Law No. 4/1982 on the environment.

Under the law, company owners could face a maximum jail sentence of 10 years or a maximum fine of Rp 100 million (US$34,190), he said.

The Tangerang administration has investigated 306 industrial companies and found that 161 of them dumped their waste in the Cisadane River, he said. (41/jun)