Tanah Merah villagers seek Rp 10.49 billion compensation from PT CHM
Saturday, March 11 2006 - 04:08 AM WIB
The villagers alleged that several animals, fish and crops were dead because of the contaminated water of the river.
?We demand a compensation of Rp 10.49 billion from the PT CHM, which contaminated the river water through its coal mining operations in the area,? said Bobby Tennes, a owner of the animal farm, during a meeting between the villagers and the management of PT CHM in Samarinda on Friday.
During the meeting, which was attended by PT CHM?s commissioner Parasian Simanungkalit and Dayak community leader Marthinus F. Tennes, the villagers put forward their claim, which reached Rp 10.49 billion. The amount includes compensation for the dead cattles, the contaminated land and salaries of animal farm employees.
?We will agree to the realistic demands. We can?t fulfill demands that are not realistic,? Parasian said.
According to him, the company will fulfill villagers demands, which include digging a borewell and buiding a water tank for the daily needs of their cattle. It also plans to build infrastructure facilities and provide a total of Rp 200 million for various activities. They include Rp 50 million for the provision of lands, Rp 59 million for the provision of seedlings, Rp 8 million for the provision of animal feed, Rp 10 million for teh provision of grass, Rp 8 million for the construction of cages for their cattles and Rp 14 million for operational costs.
However, people stick to their guns and they were not ready to accept the company?s offer to buy new cattle in place of the dead ones. They fear that more cattle will die because of the contaminated water.
They threatened to close down the PT CHM?s mining operations if their demands were not met.
Though the meeting didn?t achieve anything, Parasian urged villagers to revise their demand to the realistic level. They will meet again next week.
?The accountants from both sides will recalculate the compensation amount which is realistic,? he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Majid, a postgraduate lecturer in environment at the Mulawarman University, said he found the signs of contamination in the water.
He said there was sulphuric acid (H2S) in the samples taken from the river. The first sample had shown that there was 1.8 milligram/liter of H2S in the first sample of water and 1.2 milligram/liter in the second sample, much higher than the acceptable level of 0.002-0.1 milligram/liter.
But, according to Abdul, the company claimed that it had tested the samples taken from the river and found that there was no contamination.(*)