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| Form panel to formulate safety policy | |
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I AM not surprised by the findings of
Dr Gerald Seleu on the effects of the Tolukuma gold mine on the
Angabanga River and the people living in the area. The pollution is happening because there is a weak policy or none at all to regulate such operations. The lives of the people, the flora and fauna and the creatures in the river system are at risk as the government has failed to take stringent measures to prevent the indiscriminate disposal of toxic wastes. Seleu also discovered a mystery disease in the Strickland headwaters and presented a paper at an annual medical symposium in year 2000. His presentation was misunderstood, just as Dr Kotapu’s. A third-year student from the University of Technology also discovered that all fish in some of the rivers in the Lake Kutubu area has been dying. Rather than question the researchers’ credibility and making an issue out of it, the government should investigate and take precautionary measures. It appears that even by employing the best mining engineers, best geologists and other professionals, we will not solve the problems posed by mining operations. One measure we could take is to have a working committee to formulate a radiation safety policy to regulate the import, transport and disposal of radiation-emitting materials. I therefore support Seleu’s comment as reported in The National on April 9 whereby he said the ball is in the government’s court. Once in place, the policy can also deal with devices that emit radiation like X-ray machines used for medical or security purposes, radio frequency transmitters, microwave ovens and so on. Mathew Mongolap Port Moresby |
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