He said that since 2004, laboratory tests had continuously showed that the factory waste had always exceeded the tolerated limits but the local administration had turned a blind eye on the

pollution.

PT Yuasa security officer Dewan Hadi Setiawan who claimed to have been authorized to answer questions from journalists denied that the company's waste had polluted the river.

"We have obtained business and operational permits from the government and therefore we always processed the waste through our waste treatment facility before it is dumped into the river," he said.

State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar who took a boat trip to inspect the Cisadane river early this year said the river was so polluted and the revitalization efforts would take up to 20 years.

During the visit, the minister even summoned PT Yuasa and PT Pratama Abadi Industry following reports about improperly processed waste they had dumped into the river.

Besides industrial waste, sedimentation has also caused the quality of water in the river to deteriorate significantly. Despite the fact the river is polluted with industrial and domestic waste, people still use it as a water source to meet their daily needs.