Unknown Ship Dumps Oil Waste Near Putri Island In Batam

Batam, Riau Islands, Dec 12 (Antara) - Oil waste, allegedly discharged by a ship, has covered the outer Putri Island in the Batam region of Riau Islands since Wednesday morning. "We know that there has been an oil waste spill in the waters since beginning of the week, which was carried over to the Putri Island on Wednesday morning," Ucok Harahap, a lighthouse officer stationed on Putri Island, said on Wednesday. Ucok said the oil waste was sticky and had infiltrated the rocks and sand on the beaches of Putri Island. He alleged that a ship had dumped the oil waste in international waters intentionally, which was carried forward by the waves into Putri Island`s waters. "We have encountered difficulties in monitoring the waste. The ships often dispose off the oil while passing through these waters," Ucok stated. The oil waste has also contaminated the Nongsa Island since the beginning of the week. "The waste has contaminated our coast since early this week. However, the total waste amount has decreased, compared with 2012," the Chairman of the 06 neighborhood in Nongsa Island Abas pointed out. The Batam regional administration is coordinating with the Sea Security Coordination Agency (Bakorkamla) to anticipate waste being dumped in the north area of the Batam Island, which has occurred often when the north wind blows strongly towards Batam. The Batam administration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to the utilization and preservation of the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center (MRCC). "We already have a MRCC facility, which is focusing on how to solve the water pollution problems," the Head of Information and Cooperation at Bakorkamla, Rear Admiral Eko Susilo Hadi, stated. The agency has a MRCC facility located in the Mata Ikan Bay, which can be used for monitoring ships activities in the Malacca Strait. Eko revealed that the facility could help detect ships that often dumped oil waste into the sea and had accordingly informed the Batam government. The MRCC, said Eko, could also help the local administration in detecting the ships that often disposed oil waste in the area. "We have informed the government and they will take the necessary action to handle the waste," he said.