Cileungsi River Polluted, Central Government Sprays Bogor Regent

BOGOR - The Central Government through the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, the Directorate General of Human Rights (HAM) responded to public complaints regarding the pollution of the Cileungsi River and asked the Bogor Regency Government (Pemkab) to provide clarification.

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights issued a letter on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Secretary of the Directorate General of Human Rights at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Aman Riyadi, who signed the letter, asked the Bogor Regency Government to fulfill the rights of the people around the affected river.

"We respectfully request Mr or Mrs. Regional Secretary of Bogor Regency and Head of Services of the Legal and Human Rights Division of the West Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to inform us regarding the following matters," quoted the contents in the letter.

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights also asked the Regional Secretary of Bogor Regency and the Head of the Legal and Human Rights Division of the West Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to do several things related to the truth or clarification of the information in question.

"The Ministry of Law and Human Rights also questioned the steps and efforts that the Regional Secretary of Bogor Regency had made regarding the environmental recovery of the pollution of the Cileungsi River, and the extent of the handling of the case," said the contents of the letter.

Reports on efforts to handle and monitor the West Java Regional Office of Human Rights, regarding the follow-up that has been carried out by the Regional Government, and investigating the alleged human rights violations.

"In this regard, please respectfully convey the information in writing to the Directorate General of Human Rights in the not too distant future, as a form of human rights implementation and protection by the government," he continued.

Previously, it was known that the pollution of the Cileungsi River was suspected to have occurred due to waste or chemicals removed from industrial factories located around the Cileungsi river.

Responding to this, Bogor Regent Iwan Setiawan admitted that he would go down to the location today to take action against violators who dump industrial waste into the Cileungsi river.

"Today there is action, this has actually gone through a long process. But we also have to be balanced, how in taking action against the pollution of the cileungsi river water must be concrete. That's why I signed the troop title for action today," said Iwan Setiawan.

Iwan Setiawan also said that the Bogor Regency Environment Agency or DLH had collaborated with related parties to check industrial locations to find points of trouble.

"The DLH of Bogor Regency has also been to the field several times in coordination with other parties to investigate that the pollution has been running," he explained.

In addition, appeal to all regional stakeholders responsible for the prosecution of the Cileungsi River not to play cat and mouse with business actors around the location.

"Don't be like cats, when we go to the field during the day, there's nothing. That's why we ask the task force team to come down," said Iwan Setiawan.

"It's true that this is a waste disposal at night. It's been running since yesterday, maybe the report hasn't yet," he added.