Contamination to come under probe

SECRETARY for the Department of Environment and Conservation Dr Wari Iamo said his department would commission an independent evaluation of the claims of the presence of toxic chemicals in blood samples of villagers living along river banks downstream of the Tolukuma gold mine.
The claims of contamination were made in a report from an independent study conducted in 2006 by Dr Sylvester Kotapu.
Dr Iamo said in a statement released yesterday that it was nearly three months since the results of the study by Dr Kotapu were released publicly but a copy of his report had not reached his department.
He said that this was despite the fact that a request from his department was “personally conveyed” to Dr Kotapu for copies for his office and the Environment and Conservation Minister William Duma.
Dr Iamo said that while waiting for the report, he had set up a departmental task force to investigate the allegations.
He said the terms of reference for the investigation would be finalised shortly with the aim to verify the existence of contamination.
He added that the investigation would be conducted by an independent and reputable person or organisation.
He said the department had responded to an invitation by Minister for Health and Bougainville Affairs Sir Peter Barter in nominating two senior officers from the department to participate in the Government team that would be formed to investigate the claim.
“My department will focus on establishing the concentrations of the heavy metals within Angabanga River and in the biological tissues of aquatic species that are consumed by villagers.”
He said this independent study would determine if the concentrations of the metals were higher than the recommended levels, whereby, long-term accumulation in body tissues including the blood may be possible due to exposure by the villagers through ingestion.

 

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