Jambi governor asks Santa Fe Energy to stop road construction
Tuesday, September 5 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
Governor of Jambi province Zulkifli Nurdin has warned PT Santa Fe Energy Resource, the production contractor of state oil and gas Pertamina, to stop the construction of road leading to its exploration area in Mandaru district in the province.
The governor sad that the oil company should stop the road construction because it had caused destruction in the province's protected forests. In addition, according to the governor, the opening of the road had also encouraged illegal logging in the area.
"I will check the reports made by NGO, if the company really damaged the protected forests, it meant it ignored the early warning," Zulkifli was quoted as saying by Sriwijaya Pos.
According to the local NGO, the oil company has not only caused destruction in the protected forests but also had caused a pollution. Many farmers' plantations such as coffee and rice fields have been damaged by oil spills coming from the company's oil wells, it charged.
PT Santa Fe is currently conducting exploration activities on its 49 oil wells in the area. Two of the oil have started production, with output of 10,000 barrels each per day. (*)