Villagers accuse ceramics factory of contaminating local wells
Villagers accuse ceramics factory of contaminating local wells
Multa Fidrus, Tangerang
Villagers from Curug Kulon in Tangerang say the waste from
ceramics producer PT Karemindo is polluting their wells.
A villager, Syaiful, said the water in all wells around the
company premises had turned whitish and was not safe for
consumption.
The residents took a sample of the groundwater from the wells
and brought it to the Tangerang tap water company PDAM Tirta
Kerta Raharja (TKR) for a laboratory test.
The test revealed the water sample was contaminated with
dangerous levels of ammonia, manganese and calcium, which
exceeded the safety standards as stipulated in the Minister of
Health Decree No. 907/2002.
Syaiful said none of the villagers had so far suffered from
any illnesses likely to have been caused by consuming the water.
Some long-term effects from drinking the polluted water include
osteoporosis and internal organ damage.
Residents said they made their concerns clear to the company
management on May 27 but it had done nothing to rectify the
problem.
"The management had promised to supply clean water for us as
compensation but it did not happen. Finally, we decided to buy
clean water from PDAM TKR," Syaiful said over the weekend.
The residents called for the regency to mediate with them and
company management to find an amicable solution.
"If we don't get any response from the administration, we plan
to stage a massive rally and file complaints with the regency
environmental agency," he said.
When contacted, regency secretary Nanang Komara only said the
administration had set up a team assigned to list industrial
firms that did not have proper documents for their environmental
impact analysis.
PT Karemindo executives could not be reached for comment.
However, the company's chief of security, Hartono, denied the
accusations.
"I have summoned and questioned 30 residents. They claimed
they never signed any statements saying their wells were
contaminated by factory waste," Hartono told The Jakarta Post.
"We suspect certain individuals have tried to discredit this
firm," he said. The firm had already undertaken an environmental
impact study and had a proper waste treatment facility, Hartono
said.