Residents rally over electricity

BANDUNG: The West Java Legislative Council met with 200 residents from the districts of Arjasari, Banjaran, Solokan Jeruk and Ciparay on Wednesday who demanded the council assist them in settling a dispute with state-owned electricity firm PT PLN.

Mansyur, the leader of the group, said they wanted PLN to relocate them because the presence of the 500 KV electricity cables above their housing complexes had seriously affected their health.

"When I check my roof with my test pen (used to check for an electric current) the pen's light turns on, as it does when I put the test pen against my body," Mansyur said.

The head of the local PLN office, Usman Hidayat, denied the residents' claim. He said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) there was no danger associated with living near electricity cables.

The residents also rejected Usman's offer of up to Rp 17 million in compensation for each family, saying they only wanted a safer location in which to live. (25)