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