"Anyone who pollutes must be held accountable in accordance with applicable regulations," Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said after attending a cleanup agenda at Pasar Anyar Tangerang on Friday.
According to him, the legal action taken includes civil and criminal action against the management of the pesticide warehouse owned by PT Biotek Saranatama, which caught fire and polluted the Cisadane River.
Nurofiq addressed that these legal actions are based on Articles 87 and 90, which require the government to file lawsuits against any party responsible for the pollution.
"There will be no tolerance in this case because it has been proven that pollution in the Cisadane River has occurred," he pointed out.
Criminal action is being prepared under Article 98 (1) and (2) of Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. The Ministry of Environment will work closely with the South Tangerang Police to support the investigation.
Regarding the civil lawsuit, the ministry is still awaiting the results of expert assessments, including sampling and analysis of various environmental quality parameters.
This process may take up to three weeks to determine the extent of pollution and the damage caused.
The minister then reminded all business actors to exercise caution in handling chemicals, including pesticides, due to their potential significant impact on the environment and the community.
"Everyone must be careful when handling these chemicals and pesticides. The potential for casualties is significant, so caution is crucial," he emphasized.
The ministry has conducted an inspection and research into the fire incident at the pesticide warehouse owned by PT Biotek Saranatama in the Taman Tekno area, South Tangerang, Banten, which impacted the Cisadane River.
The team found pesticide liquid pollution flowing into the Jeletreng River to the Cisadane River with an area of approximately 22.5 kilometers covering the areas of South Tangerang City, Tangerang City, and Tangerang District.
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Translator: Achmad Irfan, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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