Caltex operation also damages environment: Bapedal

The government-sponsored Environment Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) might soon order an independent audit to assess possible environmental damages resulting from exploration and production activities at the Riau-based PT Caltex Pasific Indonesia CPI).

State Minister of Environment/the chairman of Bapedal Sony Keraf said on Friday that there were indications that the operation of the oil mining company had damaged the environment.

Speaking at a seminar on the impact of the industrial activities on the environment in Bogor, Sony said that his office was still studying the possibility of conducting an audit to probe whether the oil company's operation had caused damages to the environment.

"I don't have a complete data on the condition of the environment at Caltex mining site but for sure, the company has an environmental problem," he said. He, however, downplayed the need to establish a fact-finding team to do the auditing job.

Asked about of the fact finding team recently established to verify the controversial environment audit on PT Freeport Indonesia, Sony said that the team, comprising of officials from the ministry of finance, the ministry of mine and energy, the ministry of home affairs, his office, and related non-governmental organizations, will soon start their works.

The team, which would also audit the legal aspect of the gold and copper mining company's contracts, would decide the fate of the company's operation. (*)