House expresses concern over widespread, unchecked pollution
House expresses concern over widespread, unchecked pollution
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) expressed
concern yesterday over pollution levels in Java and Sumatra, and
urged the government to tighten control over waste dumping.
Commission X in charge of ecological affairs warned that
unchecked disposal of toxic waste has not only contaminated the
environment, but also poses a health risk to human beings.
"Highly toxic waste was found in some residential areas in
East Kalimantan, Central Java and West Java," Commission
spokesman Jusman Tahar said when reporting on the findings of
recent visits to the provinces.
In Riau poisonous waste comes from ships which dispose of oil
and trash into the sea, contaminating the shores of the fast
developing Batam, Bintan and Mapur islands, he said.
The commission urged the local government to intensify marine
patrols in Mapur, which has apparently been turned into a dump
for industrial waste from Singapore, he added.
It also found pollution rife in the Asahan River, North
Sumatra, although the major source has long been identified: pulp
and paper manufacturer PT Inti Indorayon Utama.
"The supremacy of law should be strictly upheld to stop the
liquid industrial waste (from the paper plant)," Jusman said.
The multi-billion dollar pulp and paper plant has been
constantly under attack from the DPR and local residents who
charge it of rampant logging and polluting the environment.
The commission urged the government to issue a "strong
warning" to two East Java paper factories, PT Pakerin and PT Ero
KABA, for dumping their waste into the Porong River without
proper treatment.
"The river water is blackish in color and it stinks," Jusman
said.
Industrial pollution was also reported to be rampant in the
Central Java town of Klaten where thousands of residents near the
Gondang sugar factory have been breathing "black powder" emitted
by the plant for many years.
Jusman said the powder resulting from malfunctioning filters
has been falling as far away as two kilometers around the
factory, blackening tiles and probably contributing to the poor
health of the residents.
In South Sulawesi, household and industrial waste has also
ruined the Losari Beach's chance of becoming the province's major
tourist destination.
Slack supervision of waste dumping has led to the beach
becoming badly contaminated with urban waste, and the government
should cope with the problem before it goes ahead with its plan
to develop it, Jusman said.
The commission recommended that the local government build
public dumps provided with waste treatment facilities to minimize
the danger posed by the toxic waste.(pan)