Polres Sanggau conducted an inspection and took waste samples from PT ASL’s (Agri Sentral Leetari) waste in Danau Teluk Village, Cempedak Subdistrict, Tayan Hilir District, Sanggau Regency, on Saturday (April 29). This was led by the Head of Criminal Investigation at the Sanggau Police, AKP Sulastri.
According to AKP Sulastri, her team arrived at the location at 12:15 pm and immediately checked the waste pond owned by PT ASL, which was suspected of leaking and polluting the Batang Tebang River. “Yes, after receiving reports from residents regarding the alleged leak of PT ASL’s waste, we immediately went to the scene to verify the report. After we checked the fifth pond, traces of leakage were found, but the Company has already filled the leaky area by burying it in soil,” Sulastri explained on Sunday (April 30).
During the inspection, Sulastri also found traces of water flow from the pond towards the Batang Tebang River, and a fallen excavator near the PT ASL waste pond. “We have also taken water samples from there, both from the PT ASL waste pond and from the Batang Tebang River, which is adjacent to the PT ASL waste pond,” said the Head of Criminal Investigation at Sanggau Police.
At around 2:00 pm, Sulastri and her team continued the inspection in RT 02 Kula Tebang in Melugai Village and found that the Batang Tebang River had turned black and smelled bad, suspected to be from PT ASL’s waste pond. “We also found dead floating fish in the Batang Tebang River, which was believed to be caused by PT ASL’s waste pond, and several fish cages had also floated and died,” she revealed.
Then, at around 3:00 pm, the Head of Criminal Investigation at Sanggau Police continued the inspection in RT 1 Kuala Tebang, Melugai Village, where her team found that the Batang Tebang River water had turned black and smelled bad as well, suspected to be from PT ASL’s waste pond. The team discovered that the fish in the river had died and were also floating on the water’s surface.
Meanwhile, residents living in the area affected by the waste that is allegedly from PT ASL’s leaky waste pond hope that the company takes responsibility for the waste leak that has caused the river water to become contaminated and have disrupted the local economy.
As of publishing this article, PT APL could not be reached for comment regarding the alleged waste leak from the waste pond that has polluted the Batang Tebang River.
