Environment Ministry to Sue Company Responsible for Cisadane River Contamination in Court
South Tangerang, CNN Indonesia – Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that the government will take legal action against the company suspected of being responsible for river contamination in South Tangerang, Banten. The river is suspected of being contaminated by residue from a chemical warehouse fire in Taman Tekno, South Tangerang, some time ago. The government will sue the company through both criminal and civil proceedings.
The criminal process is being coordinated by the South Tangerang Police together with the Law Enforcement Deputy of the Ministry of Environment (KLH), in accordance with cooperation agreements with the National Police. Meanwhile, the civil lawsuit refers to Law Number 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management.
Hanif said the contaminated flow is believed to have traveled from the Jaletreng River to the Cisadane River over a distance of approximately 9 kilometers, then continued to Teluk Naga over a distance of tens of kilometers.
“All polluters must be held accountable, both for environmental damage and remediation efforts,” Hanif said during an inspection at the burned chemical warehouse in South Tangerang on Friday (2/13).
As an administrative measure, KLH will order the facility operator and related tenants to undergo an environmental audit. The audit constitutes a form of government-imposed sanction to ensure improved management and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Hanif also highlighted the presence of a chemical warehouse in the middle of a community activity area, which he said requires stricter management. “We will take all necessary steps, including interim remediation to prevent ongoing exposure,” he said.
KLH Investigation Team
Earlier, while participating in a cleanup event at Pasar Anyar in Tangerang City on Friday morning, Hanif said the KLH team had already spent the past three days conducting a review of legal measures regarding the contamination.
“I’m heading there today, but the team has spent 3 days conducting an in-depth review of this matter. There can be no favoritism — everyone who causes contamination must be held accountable. There are Articles 87 and 90 [of the Environmental Protection Law] that require me to file a government lawsuit against the polluters,” Hanif said at the market.
A special investigation team has spent the past three days tracing the area from the warehouse district along the river flow to collect samples and conduct laboratory testing. The test results are estimated to be available in approximately three weeks.
According to Hanif, the contamination appears to have had a very widespread impact, flowing far along the Cisadane River all the way to the river mouth at the northern sea of Tangerang Regency.
“Sample collection across various parameters — it may not be quick, it could take up to 3 weeks to analyze in detail how far the negligence has caused ambient damage to the Cisadane River and its surroundings,” he explained.