House Commission VII says bottled water industry permits must be one-stop

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chair of House Commission VII Evita Nursanty stated that permits for bottled drinking water (AMDK) companies must be handled through a single window for clarity, as various agencies have been issuing such business permits until now.

She exemplified that the AMDK industry has been able to operate with permits issued by different institutions, ranging from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Ministry of Public Works and People’s Housing, to the Ministry of Environment.

“This means our regulations are unclear. It means there are policies and rules that we need to evaluate going forward. It should be a one-stop permit,” Evita said during a meeting with several academics at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday.

According to her, the government needs to formulate the appropriate institution truly authorised to issue AMDK industry permits. If necessary, she said, there should be a special body consisting of several relevant ministries/institutions to handle AMDK industry matters.

“So that in the future, there are no more cases where one (permit) is issued by A, and another by B,” she said.

According to her, there are companies that need to pay to PDAM and also to Perhutani, based on the location of water source extraction for AMDK raw materials.

She said the regulations on payments for extracting drinking water raw materials need to be clarified. Because, she said, those payments constitute non-tax state revenues (PNBP).

In addition to governance clarity, she emphasised that the Commission VII Working Committee on AMDK is essentially aimed at protecting the environment and water conservation, so that the public does not lack water due to industrial activities that exploit water sources on a large scale.

“If they build an industry in one area, it should not sacrifice the surrounding community,” she said.