Polluting pig breeders warned

Polluting pig breeders warned

JAKARTA (JP): The West Jakarta mayoralty has ordered 43 hog
breeders in Kapuk, Cengkareng, to clean-up their operations by
July 15 or face legal action.

Mayoralty officials say that the farmers, who together raise
about 40,000 pigs, have failed to maintain proper sanitation and
have allowed the animals' waste to severely pollute the
surrounding environment, including nearby roads.

"The breeders should have processed the waste before dumping
it into the river," mayoralty assistant Roekino said over the
weekend, as quoted by the Suara Pembaruan daily.

Roekino warns that under Indonesian environmental laws, the
breeders are liable to prosecution, and if found guilty, they can
be fined up to Rp 100 million (US$44,000) and/or jailed for up to
10 years.

"It's up to them," he said. "They can go to court or clean-up
their mess."

Chairman of the Pig Breeders Association, Ali Satrio said that
the breeders want to pursue out-of-court settlements and will
seek to relocate the farms if they can locate a more suitable
alternative land space. (yns)