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)