"Although a kind of smoke emerged from the factory, it is actually cement residue dust flying into the air," Rony Kristianto, PT SAG general manager, said here on Thursday in responding local residents` complaints about smoke from the factory.
People living near the factory had complained about smoke generated by the plant which can cause respiratory disorders especially among children.
"No smoke coming out of the Kupang cement factory, and it is very good if a cement factory releases no smoke. What you have seen is actually the cement residue dust," Rony said.
According to him, the SAG cement maker was trying to install equipment that can suck the cement dust so that it will not disturb the surrounding environment.
"Our factory has just resumed operating and we`re trying to overcome the cement residual dust," Rony said.
Kupang Cement Factory was established on December 22, 1980, with the designed capacity of 120,000 tons per year and was inaugurated by former President Soeharto on April 14, 1984 for commercial operation.
The company, since March 2008, however, collapsed, and left huge debt reaching Rp400 billion in Bank Mandiri.
Then, the state-owned enterprises ministry invited a number of private firms to hold a tender for managing the factory.
Finally PT Sarana Agra Gemilang or SAG was decided as the winner and has the right to manage the company with a system of Cooperation Operations (KSO) in September 2009.
The cement company resumed operating in mid 2011.
(Uu.B003/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
