Villagers suspect collusion between Adaro, Bapedalda

The people of Desa Kasiau village in Tabalong regency, South Kalimantan, suspected that there has been a collusion between coal mining firm PT Adaro Indonesia and the Bapedalda environmental watchdog, the local Banjarmasin Post reported Saturday.

The paper quoted village head Mujiono as saying that Bapedalda initially promised it would present the result of its investigation sometime between Sept. 5-10, but until there was no words from the office.

Villagers have complained that their farming land was no longer productive because the local river had been heavily polluted by the waste material from Adaro coal mining. They demand compensation.

Meanwhile, the paper quoted head of the local Bapedalda office as saying that they have completed the investigation, and found no evidence that would link the river pollution to Adaro mining operation.(*)