The Struggle of Residents to Get Breathe of Clean Air
[Sukoharjo, March 9, 2023] Clean air is one of God’s blessings that is given for free, but the enjoyment of clean air that God gives seems unable to deter the greed of those who are reluctant to care about the environment. This is felt by residents affected by air pollution caused by the operation of the PT. Prosperous Main District. This factory, which produces synthetic cotton, produces waste that has disturbed residents’ comfort in their activities since 2017.
This is because the waste produced by PT. Rayon Utama Makmur (RUM) is disturbing residents around the factory. Residents who smell the air will feel dizzy, nauseous and even vomit.
Mr. Tomo as a representative of the movement of affected residents said, “In the past when PT. When RUM operates, the smell (polluted air) can be smelled up to a 10 km radius from the factory, to the Jombor sub-district and even to Wonogiri Regency”
In order to fight for their rights, residents of Nguter sub-district together with the Sukoharjo Environmental Care Movement (GPL Sukoharjo) and LBH (Legal Aid Institute) Semarang came to the Sukoharjo District Court to register a lawsuit regarding environmental pollution carried out by PT. Rayon Utama Makmur on Thursday morning, March 9 2023. This lawsuit is a civil lawsuit, different from the previous lawsuit which was a criminal lawsuit that was registered with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Mr. Tomo added, “Previously we reported to the Sukoharjo Police, mediated at the DPRD, reported to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, but until now there has been no resolution” added Mr. Tomo.
In filing this lawsuit, the affected residents together with LBH Semarang filed a civil lawsuit with a class action scheme or group lawsuit. Mas Hakim as the representative of LBH Semarang said that there were 185 members of the plaintiff group represented by 2 plaintiffs who had represented all of them.
Mas Hakim at a press conference at the door of the Sukoharjo District Court also said, “So regardless of the different (types of) lawsuits, these two lawsuits are still ongoing,”
Not only polluting the air, PT. RUM also causes water and soil pollution which has a major impact on the residents’ agricultural land, this started with a sewage pipe embedded in the Gupit River, Nguter District and dumped directly into the river. Farmers who use a rain-fed system also have difficulty irrigating their fields during the dry season, so there are no other way, farmers have to irrigate their fields using river water. The river water, which at first was clean when irrigating the fields, suddenly changed color, a sign that the factory was disposing of waste and the farmers were forced to stop irrigating their fields because they were worried that rice production would have a negative impact on health.
Residents are really trying to voice their grievances, even if such a lawsuit is rejected they will still try to fight for what is their right. Clean air and environment.
Hakim as a representative for LBH Semarang added, “Later we will redefine it because we cannot act alone, we must coordinate with residents and coordinate with other related parties”
Affected residents hope that by filing this lawsuit, the government and all of its staff will be firm against PT. Rayon Utama Makmur because it is very detrimental to the community, so that strict action is taken, responsible for the environment, compensation to the community, or if possible to close the operation of PT. RUM.
Writer : Kenya Nurrin Khasanah (Civil Engineering ’21), Fadiya Shofar Rosyidah (Communication Science ’20).
Reporter : Nur Uswatun Khasana (Geography ’21), Rissa Oktaviyani (Islamic Education’21)
Editor : Shafaa Azka Indradi (Psychology ’21)
