TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The massive pollution that contaminated Citarum River in West Java had attracted the world's attention, including British news media, Channel 4. The news channel had exclusively reported about the pollution on one of the world’s most polluted rivers.
Daily Mail reported on Thursday, April 11 about a television broadcast entitled "Unreported World, The World's Dirtiest River" which was aired on Thursday night (London time). The reportage featured a resident named Herman who was seen paddling his boat on the floating trashes that covers the Citarum River surface. Herman was a fisherman but now he turns into trash-picker.
"I don't catch fish anymore […] they're floating on the surface […] I'm sure everyone knows the result of dumping rubbish like this. There are rules, but nobody is enforcing them," Herman told his story as cited by Daily Mail. A report had revealed that toxic chemicals and trashes dumped on the river have killed 60 percent of fish stock in the river.
According to local residents, in addition to household wastes, the wastes from the illegal textile manufactures also play major role in the river pollution. They dumped chemical wastes at night times. This had been causing the river water to change color from red, green, yellow, and black.
The pollution also added up mercury contamination level to the fresh water wells owned by surrounding residents up to four times of the safe threshold value. However, more than 35 million people are still relying on waters from Citarum River to drink and to wash despite of the risks of skin cancers and retarded growth on children.
The news broadcast did not mention explicitly the name of the textile manufacturers, but according to Greenpeace report last year, one of the biggest textile companies in Citarum, PT Gistex Group, is suspected to contribute to the pollution. This company is assumed to have business relationship with international brands such as Gap, H&M, and Adidas.
ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | DAILY MAIL
