REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR— The pollution problem in the Cileungsi-Cikeas River, Bogor Regency is still not resolved. The water of the Cileungsi is still black and foul-smelling. The Chairman of the Cileungsi-Cikeas River Care Community (KP2C), Puarman, observed the fish on the border of the Cileungsi-Cikeas Rivers are affected by sewage.
Republika observed on Monday (23/10/2023), the color of the water at the confluence of the Cileand Cikeas Rivers looks different. The water flow of the Cikeas River is brown and flows heavily, while the water flow of the Cileungsi is oily pitch black and flow like sediment. The two meet at an intersection, and flow towards Kali Bekasi, Bekasi City.
Thousands of fish carried by the flow of the Cikeas River towards the border of the two rivers jumped and looked as if they were trying to turn around to avoid the Cileungsi River. “It only happens when there is pollution of the Cileungsi River. As soon as he (the fish) met with such incredible wastewater, the fish got drunk. That's why it was seen at the fish meeting on the jump,” Puarman told Republika, Monday (23/10/2023).
He said that local residents who need fish usually look for fish in the Cikeas River, not in the Cileungsi. “The Cileungsi fish may have a low population because it is about to run out. Already many thousands of fish in the Cileungsi have died in recent times,” he explained.
Puarman said that the reports of dead fish in Cilengsi started earlier this year. "About six-seven months ago. But still in 2023, I forgot the exact month,” Puarman said.
Previously on August 2023, thousands of residents living around the Cileungsi-Cikeas Rivers complained of the river turn black and produce pungent odor.
Puarman said this pollution of the Cileungsi River has been going on for a long time, even more than five years. The supervision and training carried out by the government during this time, was considered ineffective because the alleged pollution from industrial waste is always occurring and recurring.
Lately, Directorate General of Human Rights (Human Rights) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) addressed the Government of Bogor, to request clarification regarding the pollution problem of Cileungsi. The Ministry of Human Rights Directorate is still waiting for an answer from the Bogor regional government.
The Environment Department (DLH) of Bogor Regency promised to send a joint team to conduct an inspection. DLH also plans to create three guard posts in anticipation of pollution.
Acting Head of Bogor District DLH Bambam Setia Aji explained that he received reports from residents who found another pollution of Cileungsi in the form of foam, which is suspected to be from factory waste. “We can't monitor the river for 24 hours because both our personnel and our budget are limited,” Bambam said on Wednesday (18/10/2023).
According to Bambam, the team will investigate the starting point of contamination and ascertain its source. If evidence is found, he said, DLH will carry out the crackdown. “So, we will act on the source of the pollution once the evidence is obtained. We can't restore the river, but at least we'll do a crackdown once we know where the pollution is coming from,” Bambam said.
Regarding the crackdown, Bambam said the Bogor Regency DLH can only revoke recommendations of factories or industries that produce waste and pollute the environment. As for the closure of factories or industries, he said, it is not the authority of the DLH.
According to Bambam, DLH will coordinate with law enforcement in dealing with cases of environmental pollution, which also impacts these surrounding communities. “So, DLH is tasked with conducting (sudden inspections) of the site, then taking samples of the polluted water or air, and then we submit the results to law enforcement for follow-up,” Bambam said.
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