Factories pollute rivers

Factories pollute rivers

JAKARTA (JP): The Tangerang administration is still investigating 11 factories in the regency discovered to have polluted three rivers by discarding industrial chemical wastes into the rivers.

Head of Tangerang's office in charge of environmental affairs, H. Nana Mulyana, told Antara yesterday that the 11 factories have failed to set up waste-treatment plants, despite repeated warnings from the administration. "The factories simply discarded their industrial wastes into Cimanceuri, Cirarab and Cilongok rivers without processing them first," said Nana.

He said several officials from his office had been assigned to check the level of pollution caused by the factories.

"We hope we will receive the results next month at the latest. If they (the factories) continue ignoring our warnings we will not hesitate to impose strict penalties on them," Nana said, adding that the penalties would include the closing down of the factories and taking the owners to court. (bas)