Residents divided over smeltery closure

Residents divided over smeltery closure

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang, Banten

Residents of Pajang subdistrict in Benda district of Tangerang
municipality are divided over the presence of an aluminum and
copper smeltery, PT Teguh Makmur Sejahtera, which has been
operating in the area since 1990.

Some 175 residents grouped in the Benda Community Forum for
Environmental Care (FPLMB) have accused the company of polluting
the water and air in the area and have staged a series of rallies
this month at the municipal hall building to demand the
smeltery's closure.

Mayor Mochamad Thamrin has yielded to the protesters and
ordered the smeltery to be shut down and relocated within six
months.

The mayor's decision, however, has sparked protests from 200
other residents, whose livelihoods depend on the factory. Many of
the residents either work at the smeltery or rely on the income
they get from renting out their homes to workers or selling food
to them.

Some 200 residents along with about 140 workers from the
smeltery staged a rally on Wednesday at the municipal legislative
council on Jl. Nyi Mas Melati, demanding that the council force
the administration to cancel its decision to close the factory
down.

They denied that the smeltery was polluting the area and
challenged the councillors to go to the site to prove the
allegations.

Separately, company director Neo Sugandhi said it would be no
problem for him to relocate, but he denied that the smeltery was
polluting the environment. He also said that the company had
obtained all the necessary permits.

Meanwhile, the council chairman of Commission A for public
affairs, Fachrudin, and Teddy Subrata, the chairman of Commission
F for legal affairs, met with the protesters and workers and
promised to investigate the case.

Both said that the decision to close the smeltery came under
the authority of the municipal administration.

"It is unclear why there are pros and cons to this issue.
There must be a problem with this case and we need to investigate
what really happened," Fachrudin said, adding that the council
would first summon representatives from both parties to further
clarify the case.