KLHK Task Force Prepares Layered Sanctions For Air Pollution Perpetrators

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry Task Force has sealed a factory suspected of carrying out environmental pollution. (ANTARA/HO-Gakkum KLHK)

BOGOR - The Air Control and Pollution Task Force for the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) Regions of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry increases the intensity of supervision and prepares layered legal steps for activities suspected of being a source of air pollution in Jabodetabek. "Both carried out by corporations and the community, multiple supervision and legal steps will be applied to those who violate," said Head of the Jabodetabek Regional Air Control and Pollution Task Force of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) Ratio Ridho Sani by telephone in Karawang, Antara, Sunday, September 10. Currently, the task force, which consists of more than 100 supervisors and environmental impact controllers and supported by environmental laboratory analysts, has carried out 32 supervision of industrial activities in the Jabodetabek area. Supervision of which was carried out in the areas of Karawang, Bekasi, Bogor, Tangerang, South Tangerang, North Jakarta, and East Jakarta. The targets of industrial activities that are supervised are activities that have the potential to cause air pollution or public reports, including coal stockpiles, PLTU, factories that operate PLTU and boillary, food, pulp and paper, plastic, textiles, metal smelting, chemical industry, glass, concrete, and plastic manufacturing. According to him, the task force has temporarily suspended and sealed 13 industrial activities, as well as imposed administrative sanctions on eight industrial activities, and in the administrative sanctions process for nine industrial activities. In addition, there are currently investigations into two industrial activities and monitoring 13 industrial activities. Ridho Sani, who is also the Director General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said that the steps to supervise and enforce the law were immediately carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, which is a supervisory step and/or second-tier law enforcement. This is in accordance with Article 22 number 17 of Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation into Laws. In following up on the results of the supervision, he said, the task force used all law enforcement instruments under the authority of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the local government to stop air pollution.

"I have ordered the Director of Criminal Law Enforcement to immediately carry out the investigation and investigation process, and ordered the Director of Dispute Settlement to prepare a civil lawsuit for environmental compensation by using a striking-liability (absolute responsibility) approach," he said.