Coal terminal plans to close down due to protest

PT Indonesia Bulk Terminal (IBT), the operator of the largest coal terminal in South Kalimantan, has threatened to close down its operation due to lingering protest from local residents, local newspaper Banjarmasin Post reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper reported that the company also threatened to lay off about 200 employees working at the terminal if the local government could not stop the protest.

The local residents have accused the coal terminal of causing a thick air pollution in the surrounding area. They said that the spread of the dust from the company's coal terminal had reached far away from the maximum limit set by the local government.

According to the company, the spread of the dust is still within the maximal limit or about the 529 meter-diameter from the gate of the coal terminal. But the local people insisted that the dust spread had reached far away from the limit. They threatened to continue their protests until the company improved the company's dust protection system.

The 529-meter limit was made in 2001 after similar protests from the public. The residents living within the distance limit received a compensation payment from the company. At the time, the company spent more than Rp 2 billion for the compensation payment. (*)