Adaro gets warning for polluting Balangan river

The South Kalimantan provincial administration has issued a strong warning against coal mining company PT Adaro Indonesia, accusing it of polluting the Balangan river in the province, Kompas.com reported on Tuesday.

"Based on the investigation by the provincial team that went to the scene of incident, PT Adaro is proved to have polluted the Balangan river," Rakhmadi Kurdi, the head of the province?s office for environmental affairs, said in Banjarmasin on Monday.

In the letter of warning, the provincial administration demanded the firm complete the construction of waste plant within a month.

"The waste plant should have been completed by Dec. 22, 2009," he said

Rakhmadi said that Adaro should also pay compensation to the losses suffered by the local fish farmers due to the pollution. According to him, the farmers suffered financial losses of at least Rp 2.26 billion (1US$ = Rp 9,400) due to the death of their fish.

With the implementation of the new Environmental Law No. 32/2009, the Office of State Minister of the Environment has the power to investigate pollution and if there is strong evidence, it is allowed to arrest the wrong doers and take them to courts. (*)