R

esidents of a hamlet in Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan, are suffering from various acute respiratory diseases and skin irritation conditions, after being exposed to dust from passing trucks carrying coal to nearby mines.

'€œMany of them, especially the elderly, have health problems,'€ said Sugeng Raharjo, an activist from Gerakan Kukar Menggugat, an NGO advocating on behalf of the residents of Durung hamlet, Jembayan village in Loa Kulu district.

The hamlet is located around 130 kilometers northwest of Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, about an hour by car from the Kutai Kartanegara (also known by its acronym Kukar) regency capital of Tenggarong.

'€œI suffer from breathing difficulties and often cough,'€ said Martadi, 53, a neighborhood unit chief.

Another resident, 60-year-old Marrani, said she suffered from skin irritation on her hands, which had yet to heal.

'€œMany more residents also experience the same as me,'€ said Martadi, adding he was still fortunate that he could seek treatment in Tenggarong, as others were unable to because they lacked the finances.

Martadi and Marrani said they had been suffering from there respective conditions since 2010.

A year earlier, in 2009, a 20-meter wide road was built near their village, which was then used by three companies to haul coal from mines in the interior to stockpile areas in Jembayan, located along the Mahakam River.

'€œResidents claimed representatives from the companies had met them and offered compensation, but it has not yet been forthcoming,'€ said Raharjo.

According to him, in 2013 residents filed a complaint on the matter with the government.

They approached the Kukar regency authorities and councilors promised to mediate a meeting with the relevant companies.

'€œThey found air pollution and communicated with the companies, but they didn'€™t follow it up,'€ added Raharjo.

Residents returned to the Kukar Regional Legislative Council and on Jan. 19, the council'€™s Commission II held a hearing.

'€œWithin a week, Commission II then asked the local health office to medically examine the residents, but no health personnel have come,'€ added Raharjo.

At the time of writing, Kukar Health Agency head Koentijo Wibdarminto and council speaker Salehudin could not be reached for comment.

In another mining-related problem, this time in Bandung, the West Java Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) has asked law enforcement agencies and the Garut administration to close access to quarries in Mount Guntur, Garut regency.

The government has previously attempted to close the mines in 1997 and 2011.

'€œThe access must be closed,'€ pointed out West Java BPLHD head Anang Sudarna in Bandung on Tuesday.

Anang said illegal sand mining in Mount Guntur had the potential to cause natural disasters in the form of landslides, as the gradient in the area was extreme and consisted of loose rocks.

'€œWe received recommendations from the geological agency, which stated that no new buildings should be built there and mining activities must be stopped. Residents must be prepared to evacuate when it rains. We must carry out mitigation efforts,'€ Anang said.