Ok Tedi pays K1m compo to WP villagers

OK Tedi Mining Ltd last week paid out more than K1 million in compensation to communities in Western province affected by a pyrite concentrate pipeline spillage early this year.
The compensation was paid to three community groups along the Tabubil-Kiunga Highway and the Ok Mart River following the joint signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with OTML and witnessed by the national government.
 The impacted highway villages were Bumbin, Tapko, Hosanai, Awin Tamaro, Hosokumgu, Dande and Ipoknai.
The river villages were Seapire, Surine, Nenegire, Supenai, Miahore, Sonai and Romnai.
OTML community relations manager Yaru Pohei thanked the villagers for their understanding and commitment to the negotiation process and said the agreement was a win-win for the villages and OTML.
“The compensation is for the potential impact on the environment and the inconvenience caused by the ruptures to four sections of the pyrite concentrate pipeline and spillage of pyrite concentrate into the surroundings which occurred in 2011 on May 5 at Km90, Mau11 at Km80, May 14 at Km87 and May 17 at Km84,” Pohei said.
“Inclusive in the total payment are payments for direct damages to gardens and economic crops,” he added.
“The final compensation package offered to the communities by OTML was based on the outcomes of the independent assessment investigations which stated that the spill at the four sites did cause some impact which were limited to the vicinity of the spills.
“The independent assessment investigations also reached similar conclusions to OTML’s environmental impact assessment,” Pohei said.
Community leader of Hosanai village Michael Gen thanked OTML for its swift response to the spillages especially in the clean up and its handling of the negotiation process.
“I would like to thank OTML for its quick response to the spillages in May and for involving all parties including the Fly River provincial government to facilitate the negotiations and make sure it was conducted transparently,” Gen said.
It was also agreed that an awareness programme be conducted at all the villages along the Tabubil-Kiunga Highway on the pipeline replacement project, including the risks associated with placing the pipe next to the current copper concentrate pipeline.
The communities also agreed not to disrupt the pipeline replacement project which would begin next February.
The pipeline, commissioned in 2008, transported pyrite concentrates 128km from the tailings processing plant at the mill, along the Tabubil-Kiunga highway and then to Bige where it is stored under water in storage pits.
Currently, the pipeline was not in operation and wastes from the mine’s milling facilities were being stored in pits constructed in the mine area.
Immediately after the pipeline ruptures, OTML suspended its production for nearly five weeks and responded with an extensive clean up and monitoring programme