Environment vital, says Dua

THE environmental pollution at Basamuk Refinery in Madang is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly by the Government, Chimbu Governor Michael Dua says.
Dua, in a supplementary question to Mining Minister Johnson Tuke and Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Geoffrey Kama in Parliament yesterday, said land and the environment was crucial to the livelihood of people. He said the State needed to consider this when addressing the issue.
“The daily livelihoods of our people out in the village depend on the land, the seas and the rivers.
“They do not depend on the mines or the oil and gas refineries for their daily livelihoods,” Dua said. “We have allowed the extraction of minerals, oil and gas in the country for the sake of development but our people still depend on the land and their environment to survive daily.
“The case of the environment pollution at Basamuk Refinery in Rai Coast is a very serious matter because of its effect on the environment,” Dua said.
He said a thorough environmental assessment needed to be conducted immediately to ascertain the extent of the pollution.
“The developers will come and extract the resource and when it’s done, they will pack up and go,” he said.
“But what about the lives of our people? Where can they access fresh water and go fishing? It is a very big issue and the ministers for mining and environment must ensure the extent of pollution is known and the people protected,” Dua said.
Tuke said the Environment Ministry through the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) was responsible for conducting the assessment on environmental damage.
He said technical officers were already on the ground.
“It is the responsibility of Cepa which comes under the Environment Ministry,” Tuke said.
“They have the powers under the Environment Act 2000 to take necessary actions against the developers who breach the environmental permit.”