Govt urged to review policy on electricity towers
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) urged the government yesterday to review its policy on the construction of 500,000 volt electricity towers and to take into account the health of people living in the area.
Bambang Widjojanto, the operational director of YLBHI said in a statement yesterday the state-owned electricity company (PLN) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy have yet to attempt to solve the problem being faced by people living near the high voltage cables.
Bambang, however, said that based on scientific research conducted by international scientists, such as Electrical Power Research Institute, U.S.A., in 1991 and Swedish Dr. Lenart Tomenius in 1986, the strong electromagnetic radiation of the electricity cable network causes tumors.
He said the conclusion drawn by the scientists is also supported by the research of two American scientists, Nancy Wertheimer in 1972 and David Savitz in 1987.
Recently around 120 residents of Ciledug Indah housing estate in Tangerang, Greater Jakarta, went to the headquarters of the National Commission on Human Rights to complain about the bad effects of high voltage cables suspended over their housing complex.
The residents said they have physically suffered since PLN activated the 500,000 volt electric current flowing through cables suspended over their housing complex.
Complained
The residents complained of headaches, nauseousness, irregular heart beat and skin irritations.
During an inspection of the site on Thursday, two members of the commission, Brig. Gen. (Ret) Roekmini Koesoemo Astoeti and Djoko Sugianto, witnessed a current tester illuminating when one of the Ciledug Indah residents touched it to a television antenna.
Bambang urged the government vis-a-vis the PLN officials in charge to talk with people whose house locations are affected by the high voltage current, including those living in Ciledug, Kiara Condong in Bandung, West Java, and Singosari in Gresik, East Java.
"PLN should talk with them in order to save them from either electromagnetic radiation or technical accidents which jeopardize their lives," he said.
Bambang also asked the government to issue a new policy concerning the placement of electricity towers, a policy protecting people against any harmful effects.
He said the present ruling about high voltage electricity cables and towers does not safeguard people's health concerns because it says the existing high voltage electricity towers are safe and no further assessments need to be conducted.
Bambang said that past accidents serve as strong proof that people's apprehension of living near high voltage electricity towers could be correct that it poses a hazard to their lives. He specifically mentioned an explosion which occurred at Singosari towers and the collapse of an electricity tower in Kiara Condong a few years ago. (mas)