Villagers demand KPC to pay compensation over alleged environmental destruction
Wednesday, May 9 2001 - 04:30 AM WIB
Dozens of people of Kabojaya village in Sangatta sub district, East Kalimantan, staged a demonstration on Tuesday at the East Kutai district office to demand a compensation from giant coal mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) over alleged environmental destruction, the local Kaltim Post daily reported.
The paper quoted the protesting villagers as saying that KPC's production waste had destroyed their farming land.
The paper said that the villagers demanded a compensation of around Rp 1 billion.
"The farming land is the only source of living left for us. If it can no longer function, how can we make a living," said Karno, the spokesman of the protesting farmers.
He said that the farming land which usually can be planted with various types of vegetables and food crops could no longer function.
The villagers added that the condition was worsened as they also could no longer use the water from the Sungai Murung river for daily activities like cooking, bath or washing.
The villagers said that they had previously demanded attention from the KPC management, and the local East Kutai administration had also talked to KPC.
But East Kutai deputy district Mahyuddin said that KPC was still looking for the best solution.
The paper quoted sources as saying that KPC planned to provide compensation in the form of irrigation facility worth Rp 700 million.(*)