East Kalimantan Council to summon PT Indominco, PT Badak
Saturday, June 2 2001 - 06:00 AM WIB
The East Kalimantan provincial Council plans to summon coal mining company PT Indominco Mandiri, and natural gas producer PT Badak NGL following the death of hundreds of fish on the Pulan Selangan Island in the South Bontang area.
The local Kaltim Post daily reported Saturday that the summon was made after a team of the Council's commission B visited the island and obtained preliminary reports of students from Unmum suggesting that the fish had died because of toxic materials possibly from waste products of either Indominco or Badak.
"We'll use the preliminary result of the research conducted by the students as the basis to summon Indominco and Badak," said commission head Falaq (Ed: one name).
The Selangan Island is inhabited by around 104 people, whose main source of living is from fishing activity. The island is located between the port of Badak and port of Indominco.
"We have not seen this kind of incident in the past years. It usually happens when there's strong win and heavy rain," said one local fish farmer.(*)