We must break toxic chain

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 12/08/2006 1:23 PM  |  Opinion

It is very disheartening to note that none of the valiant efforts made by various ""environmentally conscious"" societies over the years has been entirely successful in creating a sense of responsibility among the public toward our planet Earth.

Recently, while doing research for a school course, I had to analyze the water entering and leaving the wastewater treatment plant of a factory in the capital. My experiments showed that the effluent was less polluted than the water coming in.

However, the effluent was still far from ""clean"". It still contained high amounts of toxic chemicals that are bad for any ecosystem. Bioaccumulation causes these lethal constituents of the water system to get transferred from plants and animals in infected areas to the human body. And there is surely not just one such factory in all of Jakarta. Just try estimating how much we pollute our world. Even one factory with an improper wastewater treatment process leads to a chain of crisis.

Criticism is of limited use. We have to try to fix these errors. We have to create awareness. Officials must be stringent about following the rules and restrictions set by the legal system.

If a sense of duty is instilled in us starting right from childhood in the schools, as well as at home, we will take on the responsibility as we grow up. Individuals have to learn to display ideals for others to follow. We have to collectively contribute our energies and resources to be able to ""make a difference"".

We must keep in mind that this Earth is a legacy we will leave to future generations.

SUCHISMITA NANDY
Jakarta

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