Residents angry over fuel leak

Residents angry over fuel leak

BOGOR: Residents of Bitungsari village, Ciawi district, Bogor,
have complained that their groundwater has been contaminated by
industrial waste from the PT Jakarama Tama factory where Gaga
instant noodles are made.

Didit, one of the residents, said here on Tuesday that about
20 families had been directly affected by a fuel leak from the
factory.

"For about two weeks we could not use the water from our
artesian wells. We had to ask for water from other villagers
whose water was not yet contaminated," he said.

He said that when residents checked the water it was muddy and
contained inflammable liquid that ignited when lit.

"The Gaga factory should take responsibility for this
contamination. It should also clean up other waste material that
has caused unpleasant odors," Didit said.

Ali, a human resource development manager of the company,
acknowledged that the factory's fuel pipe had fractured during
the last two weeks and they were trying to address the problem.

"Regarding other waste, we're not the only company dumping it.
Other companies have also dumped their waste there. But ours has
been used by local people for the last 10 years to produce
compost for agriculture," he said. --JP