Drilling permit hampered by law

TANGERANG: Illegal underground drilling is rampant in the absence of effective bylaws in the Tangerang muncipality.

Chief of the municipal environmental agency, M. Akip, admitted Thursday that hundred of industrial firms had illegally drilled deep wells.

He said that though the agency could issue permits for underground drilling, there were no bylaws that stipulated the drilling permit application process.

The situation has confused contractors, who wish to abide by the law.

"I want to abide by the law and that's why I applied for the permit before taking contracts or ground water drilling projects," drilling contractor Bambang Sumitro said.

He said the permits were issued by the Directorate of Environmental Management Geology (GTL) in Bandung before regional autonomy took effect in January 2000.

Unlike the municipality, the Tangerang regency has no problems related to the issuance of ground water drilling permits.

Pahala Sirait, chief of ground water at the regional environmental agency said the regency administration had issued bylaw No. 6/2002 on ground water use.

"The bylaw was approved by the regency council in July and now we are ready to serve contractors who want to apply for ground water drilling permits," he said. --JP