Freeport will be inspected
Monday, August 20 2001 - 02:24 AM WIB
The daily quoted the office's head Paulus Jentewo as saying over the weekend that the inspection would include site inspection over the company's handling of environmental pollution caused by its mining operation and the encroachment of mining operation outside its concession.
"Every mining operation will bring about positive and negative impacts against its environment. Therefore, the negative impacts should be minimized, and not be covered up or made it a secret," he said.
The site inspection would be done following the planned hand-over on August 27 of 37 documents from the central government to local administration on general mining and energy businesses, giving local mining and energy office more power to conduct supervision and monitoring of mining interests in its areas.
Thus far, Paulus said, his office was only tasked to monitor work safety and production of mining and energy companies in Irian Jaya.
Following the handover of more power in mining sector, Paulus suggested that the local administration produce local by laws to regulate the monitoring and supervision of mining and energy interests.
Nevertheless, Paulus said that that in general Freeport had been doing good with its environmental management, through the reclamation program. In addition, it has been doing good community development programs.
When asked about the disposal of tailing to nearby rivers, Paulus said that he had no objection with that method because that would allow the uncollected gold and copper remained intact with the tailing, and thus in the next 20 years time, local people could mine for gold and copper in the tailing.
What becomes the problem now is that the construction of people's houses that has got closer to tailing disposal site. Therefore, Paulus urged the local administration to issue a by-law governing on the housing of local people. (*)