Bengawan Solo Polluted, Allegedly From The Alcohol Industry In Sukoharjo

The Bengawan Solo River water appears to be black due to waste originating from the alcohol industry in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, some time ago. (ANTARA/Aris Wasita)

SOLO - The Surakarta City Government involved other areas in responding to the pollution that occurred in the Bengawan Solo River, Central Java.

Head of the Environmental Protection and Management Planning Division of the Surakarta City Environment Agency (DLH) Budiyono said cross-regional coordination continues, especially in the Solo Raya area.

"We and our friends from the LH (Environmental Service) share information with each other," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 27.

Budiyono does not deny that the pollution that occurred in the Bengawan Solo River is suspected to have come from the alcohol industry in Sukoharjo Regency. However, he admits, until now the problem has not been resolved properly.

"We have said that every three months there is a meeting. Coordination has been an approach. Indeed, so far it has been related to the disposal of waste into the Bengawan Solo tributary, which has not been completed 100 percent," he said.

According to Budiyono, it is not easy to provide waste treatment installations for the industry. This condition is exacerbated when the level of pollution is getting higher due to the drastic decrease in river water volume.

The City Government hopes that in the future the Bengawan Solo River will soon be free from pollution considering that the river is a source of clean water, especially in the Surakarta City area.

Currently, we are still waiting for Presidential Regulation (Perpres) regarding the handling of the Bengawan Solo River basin.

"Besides waiting for the Presidential Decree, we make regular efforts, but it's not as easy as we imagined. Education in small industries is not easy to do," said Budiyono.