Ecological disasters are serious threats to the community around the sand and rock mine in the coastal area of Palu-Donggala in Central Sulawesi as the rainy season has caused flash floods at several points since Wednesday, August 7, 2024.
Flooding, which brings along gravel and mud, has become a regular view along the Palu-Donggala road, causing both two-wheeled and four-wheeled road users vulnerable to accidents. It has become a regular occurrence, twice in a two-month period, harming the local community and road users who pass through the Palu-Donggala coastal area.
The Central Sulawesi chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) accuses massive quarry mining activities of causing the flooding, citing the exploitation of the upstream region without considering the carrying capacity of the environment.
The organization cited results of the July 1, 2024 meeting between the Palu City Administration, the National Road Implementing Agency (BPJN) and the mining entrepreneurs, which agreed on measures for road infrastructure maintenance, environmental damage control, and on corporate social and environmental responsibility.
“In fact, the coordination meeting bears no result … They have been ignorant and not serious in handling the environmental damage for a long time, as evidenced by the rainy season which resulted in very severe flooding,” Said Wandi, a campaigner for WALHI Central Sulawesi chapter said in a statement on Friday, August 9, 2024.
The Central Sulawesi chapter of Walhi and the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) therefore as the Central Sulawesi Governor and the Palu Mayor to seriously deal with mining activities along the coast of Palu Donggala.
Both accuse the government of neglecting the environmental aspect for the sake of trillions of rupiah in profits garnered by selling building materials for the new capital Nusantara development. In contrast, the Palu City mayor was even granted the Adipura environmemntal recognition award.
Wandi cited the environmental damage, ecological disasters, and the number of people exposed to respiratory infection as a result of sand and rocks mining.
Chairman of Jatam Central Sulawesi chapter, Moh. Tauhid, added that the Central Sulawesi Provincial administration and the administrations of Palu City and Donggala Regency should seriously evaluate all mining activities along the Palu-Dongggala Coastal area as sand and rock mining activities have the potential to accelerate ecological disaster in the area.
