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)