Police say no sabotage in ammonia leakage

Police say no sabotage in ammonia leakage

SURABAYA (JP): The leak from an ammonia tank belonging to Unit
II of PT Petrokimia (a petrochemical producer) on Monday has been
confirmed as being caused by technical problems, while
environmentalists are urging severe punishment for the errant
company.

Gresik Police detectives chief First Adj. Comr. Wahyu Bintoro
confirmed that the incident, which enraged local residents, had
nothing to do with sabotage.

Separately, the company's director of industrial relations,
Iman Santoso, said that the incident took place during the
filling of an ammonia tank at the Unit II plant from a vessel
which had arrived from Bontang, East Kalimantan, on Monday. "The
valve of the tank leaked and the acrid smell of the ammonia
affected an area within a radius of 10 kilometers from the tank."

Officer Wahyu said that the East Java Police's forensic
laboratory, in cooperation with PT Petrokimia, was investigating
the incident.

PT Petrokimia's Unit II plant produces TSP fertilizer and has
two ammonia tanks with capacities of 7,500 tons and 10,000 tons
respectively.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi) said in a press release distributed to The Jakarta Post
on Tuesday that the company must be held responsibility for the
incident.

Citing Article 35 (1) of Law No. 23/1997 on Environmental
Management, Walhi deputy director Suwiryo Ismail said that
anybody causing environmental damage was liable to be sentenced
to three years in jail or a maximum fine of Rp 100 million.

"An apology from the company, which has no legal basis, is not
enough to guarantee the enforcement of the environmental
legislation," Suwiryo said.

Walhi also demanded that the petrochemical plant be shut down
temporarily until a thorough evaluation and investigation of the
incident had been made.

At least 200 people living in the Telogo Pojok, Romo and
Gresik Kota Baru areas had to be rushed to the Petrokimia and
Bunder hospitals suffering from respiratory problems after
inhaling the ammonia. They were all reported to be in a very weak
condition.

On Tuesday, 12 people were still being treated at the
Petrokimia hospital and two at the Bunder hospital.

The incident enraged local people on Monday when top officials
from the plant failed to meet local residents living in the
vicinity to explain the cause of the acrid odor. The people
pelted the factory building, which was guarded by Police Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) troopers, with stones

The angry mob also attacked an office of PT Pupuk Sriwijaya, a
fertilizer factory based in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Part of the building's roof was damaged, and three computers
and other office equipment were destroyed.

An employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the
residents attacked the office because they lacked the courage to
attack PT Petrokimia which was being guarded by the Brimob
troopers.

"Our company suffered at least Rp 400 million in losses as a
result of this vandalism," the employee said, adding that the
residents might have thought that PT Pupuk Sriwijaya was owned by
PT Petrokimia. (nur/sur)