NGO blasts environmental watchdog over Newmont's tailing

Yayasan Kelola in Manado, North Sulawesi blasted the province's environmental supervisory agency (Bapedalda) for making a statement that apparently favored gold mining company Newmont Minahasa Raya in a dispute over pollution, Manado Post reported.

The non-governmental organization dismissed the statement mad by head of the Bapedalda SA Kindangen as "irresponsible".

The NGO referred to Kindangen's recent statement that the environmental audit conducted by the joint team formed by the provincial administration revealed that Newmont had probably caused environmental damage to the surrounding area.

Kindangen however noted that the provincial authorities had no single intention to close down the company's gold mine for fear the measure would cut the province's revenue and lead to the layoff of many workers of the company.

Yayasa Kelola's executive director Rahman Dako said in a statement it was not Newmont but the local people which gave the largest contribution to the province's earnings.

"Kindangen is not aware that it's the North Sulawesi's people who have given the largest contribution to the provincial earnings through farming and fishing activities," Rahman said.

He noted that the alleged pollution caused by Newmont's operation on the provincial waters had affected the local people's fishing activities and reduced their contributions to the provincial earnings. (*)