Oil pollution at Seribu Islands continues to increase
Tuesday, June 12 2007 - 03:34 AM WIB
The waters of
"Oil pollution in the waters around and in the island group continues to increase although at a slow pace," Sumarto, TNKSD head, said here Monday.
Proof of the oil pollution could be easily seen at Kotok Besar Island which was located only 29 miles north of Jakarta`s Marina Ancol Port.
"Black blobs of oil are covering Kotok Besar Island`s beaches. When we put a finger on a blob it will stick and smell like diesel oil," he said.
Asman Adipurwanti, an officer of an animal rescue organization (IAR), said he saw the oil blobs on the island`s beaches on Sunday morning before they were washed away by waves in the afternoon.
Sumarto, meanwhile, believed the oil blobs had come from offshore oil and gas exploration activity near the
According to information from the Environment Minsitry,
Sumarto said the island group experienced five polluting oil invasions since 2000 with the worst happening in 2003 when 78 islands were affected.
He also estimated that every day 1,500 to 2,000 tons of garbage from 13 rivers in
The