Aceh villagers complain over noise caused by ExxonMobil operations

Villagers living near the gas fields operated by ExxonMobil in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh have complained over the noise and vibration caused by the company?s gas boosting plant, but the gas producer has paid not attention to their complaint, local newspaper Serambi Indonesia reported on Thursday.

According to residents, the deafening noise and the vibration resulted from the operation of the giant gas booster which is located in the company?s Cluster II gas field has caused them to suffer a lot, particularly during the peak hours of the company?s operations at 10 p.m. until midnight.

?The vibration and the deafening noise have been felt since five years ago. But there is no solution so far,? one of community leaders in the villages said.

The affected villagers live in Matang Munyee in the Syamtalira Aron district, and Nibong Baroh in the Tanah Luas village.

In February 1999, the villagers protested the operation of the gas booster, but the company did nothing to reduce the noise and vibration resulted from its gas booster. The villagers then filed their complaint to the local office of the Jakarta-based environmental impact management agency (Bapedelda) in December, last year. And again, there is no a positive response to their protest, although the head of the agency had sent a letter asking the company to pay a serious attention to the villagers? problem. (*)