KLH Drags PMT And Modern Cikande Into Legal Paths Related To Cesium-137 Pollution

SERANG (KLH) Ministry of Environment is not playing games in responding to cases of Cesium-137 radiation pollution in the Modern Cikande industrial area, Serang, Banten. Minister of Environment and Forestry Hanif Faisol Nurofiq emphasized that his party would take multi-door legal channels, both civil and criminal, against two parties deemed responsible.

The two demands are PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT) as Defendant One, and manager of the Modern Cikande industrial area as two defendants.

"The two parties who will be prosecuted are PT PMT as defendant one and manager of the Modern Cikande area as two defendants," said Minister Hanif in Serang, Tuesday (30/9).

Civil Lawsuit Cannot Be Resolved Outside The Court

Hanif explained that the KLH team is currently preparing details of a civil lawsuit that will be filed in court. He firmly rejected the settlement of this case through mediation outside the court.

"For this case, the civil can not be resolved outside the court. It must go through the court," he said.

According to Hanif, the legal process will be taken "multidoor" to ensure accountability from all related parties. "So there are two, criminal and PSLH (environmental environment). The team is compiling a civil lawsuit in detail to make it concrete," he explained.

Criminal Threats For Negligence And Absolute Responsibility

Apart from civil, KLH also uses criminal channels based on alleged violations of Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management.

"We see negligence as regulated in Article 98 paragraph 1," he said.

PMT is suspected of merging metal screens that they do not know contain cesium-137, which then pollutes the environment at some point. Although there is a possibility of ignorance, Hanif emphasized that it does not erase legal responsibility.

KLH also considered that the manager of the Modern Cikande industrial area must take responsibility for the incident.

"The two parties will take criminal action for violating the law, and the civil system is being prepared," concluded Hanif. He ensured that this legal process would run in parallel to the technical efforts of decontamination and environmental regeneration that the Task Force continues to carry out.