PT BSL Palm Oil Waste Allegedly Disastrous Thousands Of Fish In The Bengkulu River Penago Dies, Regency Government Prepares Strict Sanctions If Proven

Deputy Regent of Seluma, Bengkulu Province, Gustianto/ANTARA

SELUMA - The Seluma Regency Government, Bengkulu Province stated that the cause of death of thousands of fish in the Penago River, Ilir Talo District, Seluma Regency was allegedly caused by the Bengkulu Sawit Lestari (BSL) factory waste.

Deputy Regent of Seluma, Gustianto said, currently his party has formed an independent team to determine the exact cause of the death of the thousands of fish.

"It is suspected that it came from PT BSL's palm oil waste, but research is needed because we formed an independent team to conduct research on the cause of death of the thousands of fish," he said in Bengkulu City, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 9.

The independent team has taken samples to be examined in the laboratory whether it is really caused by BSL waste or suspected to be caused by fishermen using tools to stun fish in the river.

Furthermore, according to the Vice Regent, if the cause of the dead fish is due to waste from PT BSL, his party will provide strict sanctions. "Because there is a rule that waste must be filtered and in the last pond the fish can live," said Gustianto.

Previously, local residents suspected that the number of dead fish in this river was due to the waste from the palm oil processing factory owned by PT BSL II which was located in Air Teras Village, Talo District, precisely in the upstream of the Penago River.

Because the flow of the river looks dirty and smells rotten, causing thousands of fish in the river to die.

Meanwhile, the Head of Penago II Village, Andan Supriadi, has not been able to confirm the information regarding the breach of the PT BSL CPO mill waste embankment. "But the upstream of the river is indeed from the Air Teras Village, which is the location of the palm oil CPO factory," he said.