Meeting ends residents' protest

DEPOK, Bogor: A meeting on Monday between residents of Kedawung village in Sawangan, Depok, and the management of PT Giga Intrax, a supplier of liquid petroleum gas, ended a one-week protest by local residents.

The protest was triggered by a gas leak from the company's gas depot in the village last week. The smell of the leaking gas terrified the residents, who commandeered two gas tankers that were headed towards the PT. Giga Intrax plant.

At the meeting, the residents demanded that the plant provide safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, around the depot, which is located near a residential area.

In addition, they urged the plant to participate in keeping both the depot and the residential area safe, and to also employ local residents as up to 60 percent of its labor force.

Heru Waluyo, a representative of the plant's management board, said that management would forward the demands to company headquarters.

"We do not have any authority to decide whether or not we can meet the residents' demands," he said, as reported by www.detik.com.--JP