Protest brewing
The National, Wednesday October 2nd, 2013
By PISAI GUMAR
A PROTEST in the form diverting water from a hydro power station is shaping up in Bulolo district, Morobe, a clan spokesman says.
The water feeds the Baiyune hydro power station and the protest is over an alleged non-payment of compensation to landowners.
Balundum-Lulalom clan spokesmen Michael Balundum and Joe Jackson from Tokanen and Lagis villages, in Buang, said the protest was taking shape yesterday.
Balundum said they would block the water source at interior Pumandok village at Ngadung, Jeri, and divert the flow over to the Savis Jali River.
“PNG Forest Product that owns and operates the electricity supply at Baiyune and the government need to compensate our water source for K250 million within one week,” Balundum said.
Baiyune hydro power station operations manager John Sikari said he was aware of the issue after the land title was awarded to the Katumani clan.
“However, diverting of the water source will never affect the operations because the water source they are referring to provides only about 500-600 kilowatts of electricity,” he said.
“We still have another bigger water source that we mainly rely on for our operations.”
The electricity supply capacity at Baiyune hydro is 9.4 megawatts that supplies Wau and Bulolo townships, Mumeng, Buang, Hidden Valley mine and communities along the Bulolo Highway.