Environmental agency to mediate pollution dispute
Environmental agency to mediate pollution dispute
JAKARTA (JP): The Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) has promised to mediate in the dispute between the people living along the Ciujung river in Serang, West Java, and the companies which are allegedly polluting it.
Deputy chairman of the agency, Nabiel Makarim, said yesterday that his office would make efforts to sponsor a meeting between managers of the companies and the local people. He expects them to discuss the amount of funds required to counter the environmental damage the companies have caused.
"The agency will deal with the pollution problems, which in fact needs no negotiation because what they have done is a violation of the law," he said.
Seventeen people from Tirtayasa subdistrict, representing 2,000 residents, met with Nabiel yesterday to register their complaint about the water pollution, which has killed a large amount of the fish and shrimp cultivated in the area, stunted the growth of rice crops and caused skin irritations.
The group was accompanied by members of the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law and the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, whom they have appointed as their lawyers.
Mas Achmad Santoso of the law center suggested that the environmental agency encourage the establishment of a special team -- consisting of local government officials, company managers and local people -- which would have the responsibility to guarantee that no further pollution occurred.
Nabiel pointed out that although the agency would try its best, a considerable amount of time would be necessary in solving the problem, particularly because more than one company was involved.
He did not specifically indicate that he would form the special team as proposed by Santosa.
Santosa suggested that if after three months the team failed to come to a solution, the people would bring the matter to either a criminal or civil court.
Reports of pollution of the Ciujung river were first heard in September 1992, shortly after factories owned by PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper company, PT Sekawan Maju Pesat, PT Picon Jaya, PT Onward Paper Utama and PT Cipta Papperia started operating. (pwn)