Government cannot simply shut Indorayon plant: Minister

Government cannot simply shut Indorayon plant: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sony Keraf
reiterated here on Tuesday that the government's decision last
month to reopen the pulp unit of publicly-listed PT Inti
Indorayon Utama is final.

"The government cannot simply meet the demand of a group of
local people in North Sumatra for the complete closure of the
Indorayon plant," Sony told reporters on the sidelines of a
seminar.

Sony added the May 20, 2000 decision to order the reopening of
the pulp plant in Porsea near Lake Toba had been taken after
thoroughly assessing various aspects.

The government decided at a Cabinet meeting last month to
close the rayon unit of Indorayon but to allow its pulp unit to
resume production, arguing that the pulp production process did
not cause as much environmental damages as rayon production.

The reopening of the pulp unit is, however, subject to the
tough evaluation of the impact of its operations on the
environment and the health conditions of the local people. The
pulp factory can be closed again after one year of production if
the evaluation finds enough evidence of serious environmental
damage.

Asked about the recent violent reaction by a group of local
people to the government's decision, Sony said that closure of
the pulp plant could also incite a similar reaction from another
group.

He warned against the possibility of violent conflict between
those who support and those who oppose the reopening of the pulp
unit.

Earlier, in a speech at the seminar, Sony urged industrial
enterprises to be completely honest and transparent in their
environmental management.

"We want industrial companies to use only environmentally
friendly technology," he added.

Sony reiterated that without honesty and transparency on the
part of industrial manufacturers, it would be impossible to
manage the environment effectively. (vin)