KLHK Implements Criminal Sanctions To Fines For Air Emission Violators

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) will apply sanctions ranging from imprisonment to billions of rupiah fines for violators of air quality standards in order to maintain air quality in Jakarta.

"Under the Environmental Law, violating air quality standards can lead to serious penalties," said the Director General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ratio Ridho Sani in the dialogue of the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum (FMB9) reported by ANTARA, Monday, September 18.

The ratio said that air quality standard violations could be subject to a criminal sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of Rp. 3 billion.

His party has detailed that of the 504 total business activities in Jabodetabek, 59 of them have high emissions. Meanwhile, 49 types of business activities use their own power plant with coal burning.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry then, he continued, identified 45 companies that have the potential to pollute the air and 21 of them have been given strict sanctions in the form of sealing and installing barriers to stop the business.

In addition, there are nine administrative sanctions that have been imposed as well as two Pulbaket and 26 companies in the administrative sanctions process and 10 under surveillance.

This action taken by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is supported by a second layer of supervision function in accordance with Article 22 number 17, Law Number 6 of 2023.

"The minister has the authority to supervise the obedience of the person in charge of business and/or activities that have obtained permission from the local government," said Rasio.

The sanctions imposed include various forms of action ranging from administrative sanctions, namely the termination of activities, government coercion, and even freezing or revocation of business licenses and criminal legal sanctions.

"There is also a civil lawsuit option that can result in demands for compensation and environmental restoration," he said.

For more serious cases, he continued, enforcement of criminal law is an option, namely including imprisonment and fines, as well as additional penalties for corporations that are proven to have committed violations that are detrimental to the environment.