KLHK Tim Check Incidents Dozens Of Karawang Residents Are Allegedly Gas Toxic

Residents who were poisoned by gas (ANTARA/Ali Khumaini)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) dispatched a team to examine a number of residents of gas poisoning suspected of originating from the factory PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills II in Karawang Regency, West Java.

"Today we are accompanying the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for verlap (field verification) to Pindo Deli II," said Head of Environmental Regulations of the Karawang Environment and Hygiene Service, Meli Rahmawati, Thursday, September 15.

Meli previously said that the agency had conducted an examination after receiving reports that a number of residents of Cigempol Village, Kutamekar Village, Ciampel District, Karawang Regency, were suspected of having gas poisoning from PT Pindo Deli on Wednesday (14/9).

According to a statement from PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills II, he said the source of the gas that caused poisoning was not from leakage of the production equipment, but from klorin gas that came out of the floor due to an imperfect combustion process.

On Wednesday (14/9), dozens of residents of Cigempol Village were taken to undergo medical treatment because they were suspected of having klorin gas poisoning from PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills II.

"It feels dizzy and nauseous. Even the eyes feel sore," said Sapti (58), a resident of Cigempol Village, who was poisoned.

"When he left the house he felt it. Then he was immediately taken to the hospital," he said.

According to him, other residents also complained of dizziness, nausea, and sore eyes when they left the house in the morning so that the village officials then took them to the clinic and Rosela Hospital.

There are at least 36 residents at Rosela Hospital who are undergoing treatment and at the village clinic there are dozens of people being treated for symptoms similar to gas poisoning.

Meanwhile, the Karawang Environment and Hygiene Service once revoked PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills II Caustic Soda Plant's operational permit in May 2018.

The revocation of the company's operational permit is stated in the Decree of the Head of the Karawang Environment and Hygiene Service Number 180/Kep.190-PPL/2018 dated May 18, 2018.

The revocation of operational permits was carried out because the Caustic Soda Plant PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills II was considered negligent because a number of klorin production tools that had been rejuvenated had not been rejuvenated.