Shrimp ponds polluted

Shrimp ponds polluted

SEMARANG, Central Java: Dozens of hectares of shrimp ponds in the Demak regency are being polluted by industrial waste, causing farmers to suffer losses of hundreds of millions of rupiah, Antara reported yesterday.

According to the local office of the Directorate General of Fisheries, the industrial waste is believed to be coming from nearby industrial complexes.

The polluted shrimp ponds lie in several villages in the Karangtengah and Sayung subdistricts, which directly border on an industrial complex in Semarang.

The Demak administration reported that the total loss was estimated at Rp 223 million (US$101,087), and that the pollution has also caused serious environmental degradation.(imn)