0 Your letters: Mining near residential areas

I write this letter in response to two articles “Escaping the resource curse: E. Kalimantan at the tipping point” and “The woes of Samarinda” published in The Jakarta Post on Jan. 17. The sky is the limit for politicians and the media when it comes to improving the conditions of a place or nation. They can change a dark and gloomy picture into a bright and happy one. It is good for the people of East Kalimantan that their problems have been heard by a receptive media and visionary leaders who have a deep concern for residents. 

We are all part of this country. If there is a problem in a particular area that is becoming a pain in the neck, then it is the moral duty of every citizen to help. Coal has become a reason for unhappiness for the people of Samarinda. It has become a curse for local residents, while executives have used it to line their pockets. Leasing land for mining near residential areas is like leasing a stick to be cracked over your own head. Chemicals from the coal mines seep into the water resources and paddy fields, resulting in production dropping by half. 

It is a matter of concern for everyone; farmers have nothing else to rely on other than their crops. Everyone needs food. Food comes from farms, making this an issue for everyone. Though the epicenter of the problem is East Kalimantan, the consequences of the problem will be felt by others through contaminated air, grain and water. Nature has a long reach. It can reach far-flung places in the blink of an eye. The problem of one region can become the problem of another. Coal mines release dust and gas that pollute the air. 

If the mines are adjacent to residential areas, then residents can develop breathing problems, while the mental development of children can be retarded and the environment degraded. The efforts of Samarinda Deputy Mayor Nusyirwan Ismail to help his innocent residents should be appreciated by one and all. It is an urban myth that money can buy everything. If the air is polluted, the grain is contaminated and water is impure, then money will have no say. We should keep our greed in control and save the environment on which our survival depends.

Indu Nandal
Purwakarta, West Java
source : the jakarta post