Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu
A longstanding dispute over a hydroelectric power plant (PLTA) project in Poso, Central Sulawesi, appears no closer to being resolved.
Residents of seven villages in North Pamona district affected by the project have demanded that PT Hadji Kalla and PT Bukaka Hydropower Engineering and Consulting Co., which are building the plant, pay them more money for their land.
The coordinator of the Front for PLTA and High Voltage Transmission Lines in Poso, Marten Ombo, said the companies were willing to pay just Rp 1,750 (19 U.S. cents) per square meter for land affected by the project.
"Why are they willing to pay so little for land for a project of such significance?" he said.
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) member Agussalim Faisal Said said the companies had not paid for the land they acquired for the Sulewana PLTA project.
"This is a serious problem, which PT Bukaka needs to resolve immediately. Just because its a big project, people are deprived of their rights. Don't let people think Bukaka has cheated the people," said Agussalim.
The power plant's construction started in April 2005. It is expected to generate a combined capacity of around 740 Megawatts (MW): PLTA Poso-1 (160 MW), Poso-2 (180 MW) and Poso-3 (300 - 400 MW). At present work is only being done on PLTA Poso-2 or PLTA Sulewana.
Agussalim quoted George Aditjondro as saying in the Suara Pembaruan daily that the Poso PLTA project had violated Law No. 23/1997 on environmental management, Government Regulation No. 27/1999 on the environmental impact analysis (Amdal) and State Minister of Environmental Affairs Decree No. 3/2000 on the type of business and/or activity that must be equipped with an Amdal.
Besides problems on land compensation, the project has not attained an Amdal approval. Head of the Central Sulawesi chapter Amdal, Said Awad, acknowledged that the PLTA project had never submitted documents on Amdal thus far, or even invited Amdal for discussion on the project.
"The project must pay attention to social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects, because there would definitely be changes after its completion," said Said.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Commission on Developmental Affairs of the Central Sulawesi legislature, Muharram Nurdin, emphasized that the project had violated regulations for failing to conduct Amdal analysis.
"Aren't high voltage power lines to be installed later? Have the management of the project considered about the matter?" queried Muharram.
Administrative chief of Sangira, one of the seven villages affected by the project, Edy Sutrisno, urged PT Hadji Kalla and PT Bukaka to immediately stop land marking activities in his village until they obtained the required permits and informed area residents.
"We have also asked them to immediately discuss and make arrangements with the village administration and residents on land compensation procedures," said Edy.
Manager of the PLTA Poso project, Heru Priyadi Husaini, said that based on Government Regulation No. 6/2005, parties who disapprove the project have absolutely no right to call for a moratorium.
Heru said that the project had gone through the Amdal analysis conducted by the Amdal team from the Poso regency administration and signed by the Poso regent on July 21, 2005. The team consisted of environmental experts from the Tadulako University in Palu, Makassar's Hasanuddin University and Haluuleo University in Kendari.***
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