People protest polluting plants

People protest polluting plants

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Residents of three separate areas have lodged a complaint with
the City Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) over pollution
allegedly produced by three concrete mixing firms.

"We received their complaints recently, and will summon the
three firms and the residents for a meeting on Tuesday for a
clarification on the matter," head of BPLHD's environmental
impact analysis division Ridwan Panjaitan said on Monday.

The residents are from the East Jakarta neighborhoods along
Jl. Suci, Susukan, Ciracas; along Jl. Pemuda, Rawamangun,
Pulogadung; and of Bambu Apus, Cipayung. The three groups are
protesting against concrete mixing plants owned by three
different companies -- PT Jaya Readymix, PT Adhimix and PT
Pioneer -- located in the three respective neighborhoods, Ridwan
told The Jakarta Post and Koran Tempo dailies.

In the case of PT Jaya Readymix, Ridwan said, the company had
already fulfilled all legalities for their operation.

Jaya Readymix had full ownership of the location and a street
access, he explained, and it had also obtained all necessary
licenses, including the environmental impact analysis, in 1995.
However, they were unable to continue operating during the
country's prolonged economic crisis, and neighborhood residents
began using the street access.

When the company began operating the plant late last year,
residents started complaining about the pollution allegedly
produced by the plant, like noise and dust, and also complained
that the ground water supply had become scarce.

"According to the existing law, the company must fulfill the
people's demand to reduce noise, dust and pollution ...
Otherwise, it can face a forced closure (by the city
administration)," said Ridwan, referring to Law No. 23/1997 on
environmental management.

The law states that the company can also provide compensation
to those residents who are affected by the pollution.

In the case of PT Adhimix, the residents protested that the
plant had been operating without the consent of the entire
neighborhood.

Ridwan said the company claimed that prior to the operation of
their plant, they had conducted a meeting with local residents
and received their consent. Those who were protesting, said the
company, had not attended the meeting.

Separately, several Bambu Apus residents protested against the
plant owned by PT Pioneer, which failed to manage the pollution
it produced.

"The company claims that they have taken all measures to
reduce the pollution, but the residents' complaint tells us that
there is something wrong in its implementation," said Ridwan.