Factory probed over pollution

Factory probed over pollution

PURWAKARTA, West Java: The environmental impact management agency (Bapedal) and national police headquarters are currently investigating alleged polluting activities by PT Inda Bharat Rayon (IBR), Antara reported.

IBR, which runs a rayon plant, is suspected of dumping industrial waste into Citarum River, increasing the Biological Oxygen Demand and Chemical Oxygen Demand of the water to above the permissible level.

The waste is also said to cause siltation in the river while fumes from the plant cause "intolerable air pollution".

Bapedal and the police have conducted inquiries since last month and are presently gathering data and witnesses to file charges, Head of the local government's environmental office Bambang Sutrisno said.

The government, he said, has repeatedly reprimanded IBR and residents of surrounding villages have often staged protests. IBR, on the other hand, responds that its Rp 6 billion water treatment unit has yet to be completed.(pwn)