Govt reminded of environment risks

THE Porgera Riverine Landowners Working Group wants the Government to formulate a compensation agreement to ensure they are fairly compensated for damage to the local ecosystem.
Group chairman Peter Papo said in Port Moresby yesterday that the riverine communities were impacted by the billions of cubic meters of waste rock, sediment and tailings that were discharged by the Porgera gold mine directly into the river system.
“The riverine people are subsistent farmers and alluvial gold miners or fishermen whose livelihood are dependent on the river system, the river banks and the surrounding areas,” he said.
“Our call to the Government to intervene has fallen on deaf ears in the last 30 years.
“The Government refused the renewal of the Special Mining Lease in 2019, using environment damage as one of the main reasons.
“We are not being consulted, we are still in the dark as to what the Government is doing about the past environmental damage claims and issues, and whether a tailings dam will be constructed for the new Porgera mine.
“We are still waiting to reach an agreement with the State and the developer on the riverine waste disposal.”
A riverine working group was established to present at an upcoming development forum.