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Govt fighting losing battle against Citarum polluters
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People celebrate Independence Day at Kilometer 0 of the Citarum River in Tarumajaya village, Bandung regency, West Java. (Antara/Fahrul Jayadiputra)
T
he government has been fighting a losing battle against polluters of the Citarum River in West Java, which is considered one of the world’s most polluted rivers.
The Environment and Forestry Ministry’s director general of law enforcement, Rasio Ridho Sani, said on Wednesday that legal steps against environmental polluters had not been effective. “Criminal charges only get people working in the field while administrative punishment fails to provide any deterrent effect,” Rasio said during a meeting in Bandung on sustainability in the Citarum River.
To give some weight to law enforcement, he said, the government was planning to file civil lawsuits against polluters of the Citarum. The idea was inspired by the government’s efforts to net corporations and high-level company officials in relation to forest fires in Riau last year.
The government filed a civil lawsuit against PT National Sago Prima at the South Jakarta District Court, which found the company responsible for the fire and ordered it to pay Rp 753 billion (US$55 million). “This became a deterrent effect for the company,” Rasio said.
The head of environmental law enforcement in West Java, Anang Sudarna, said his team had inspected companies along the river this year, and in two inspections had found 30 cases of polluting. Among them, 13 were followed up at the district court, while 17 were handed administrative sanctions, he said.
However, Anang said he was disappointed with one court decision to acquit a suspected polluter although he was sure there was a solid case.
About 25 million people depended on the sustainability of the Citarum, including Jakartans, whose raw water supply is sourced from the river via the Jatiluhur Dam in West Java. (evi)
