Lapindo Poisons Four Years Together

Beginning in January 2010 the gas bubbles began to burst from the home page of Ershad. The former farmer from East Besuki horrified.

He is very worried because this gas burning when the fire ignited. Despite lasting only a few days, these events can indicate how he and residents of East Besuki, Ketapang, Mindi, Jatirejo West, West Siring, Gedang, and villages around a central burst of life is not safe. For four years, no fewer than 180 bursts and bubbles of gas are found. His condition is left, some are handled, the rest marked only board that said dangerous.

Emission of hydrocarbon gas on the bubble bursts and found in West Siring, West Jatirejo, and Mindi reached 441 200 ppm, eighty times as much on the threshold of the standard which is only 5000 ppm (Decree of the Minister of Environment No. 129 of 2003). The limit on the ambient air exceeded 0.24 ppm by identifying up to 55 000 ppm, which means that 229 100 times the threshold standard. The findings of the team monitoring the formation of settlements in East Java in 2008 the Governor was followed up with letters of recommendation to the President.

What is immoral, the President issued Presidential Regulation No. 48/2008 which refers precisely stated as a priority area affected. New year 2009 issued Presidential Regulation No. 40/2009 which regulates the evacuation through social assistance for residents in the area of West Siring, West Jatirejo, and Mindi (three RT).

By letting the condition since the sludge spraying on May 29, 2006, not surprisingly, found an increasing number of patients with acute respiratory infection in Porong. Based on data of local health centers, patients with ARI in 2007 recorded 46 652 people, has doubled from the year 2006 which is only about 23,000. Poor water quality also shows the impact of increase in female patients with reproductive health disorders. This trend in 2008 was recorded on postal services; health Jabon that ever existed in the territory of the former Toll Besuki evacuation.

Hazards of heavy metal

Findings Forum for Environment (WALHI), East Java through research content of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) also showed Exceeding the threshold of eligibility. Type of heavy metal cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were found to exceed the standard at all 20 sample points in 2007/2008 with a total average of more than 0.3063 milligrams per liter (mg / l), or 100 times more on top threshold quality standards established by the Minister of Health Decree No 907/2002 which is only 0.003 mg / l. The content of chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu) is still below the threshold standard.

PAHs are also found in type crysene exceeded standard in almost all sample points in the area of mud and the surrounding region, while Ben (z) anthracene was found in three sample points. PAHs are organic compounds that are dangerous and carcinogenic. Did not cause the formation of tumors or cancer directly, but in the body's metabolism system will be changed into dihydrodiol epoxides alkylating compounds very reactive and very potentially giving rise to tumors and cancer risk (UNEP, 2001). The impact also can not be seen immediately. It will take five to 10 years to discover the potential of lung cancer, skin cancer, and bladder cancer for men who never exposed in more than eight hours.

Maternal Mortality Jumi, Tiyami, Luluk, Sutrisno, Jacob, and several other residents in the period 2008-2009 with an undiagnosed cause should be the record clearly important for the government apparatus to perform specific actions and monitor intensively. Mother Jumi enlarged stomach after a year of the mudflow, the next year he died.

Origin of mud from a depth of more than 9,000 feet can also lead to all kinds of suspicious mineral content and various other dangerous substances. The discovery of heavy metals, various types of hydrocarbons, and PAH do not close the possibility still can be found types of radioactive compounds that have a more significant impact.

Sludge treatment before flushed into the sea via the River Porong should also be undertaken. If not, the whole region will be contaminated with Madura Strait (WALHI, 2006). Moreover, relying ponds of fresh water supply from river and sea water Porong Madura Strait. The largest organic shrimp production from the eastern region of Sidoarjo, with export value of approximately USD 800 billion per year, also could not have maintained the number and quality.

Milkfish yields that have declined in the ponds in and around Permisan not normally a strong indication of water quality. Can be imagined, if the content of heavy metals and other dangerous substances is continuously accumulating in biota consumed, then the impact of the Lapindo mud will be increasingly widespread.

Damage and loss of living space assets for settlement residents who only assessed the extent of land and building materials is an insult logic. Ershad's rice fields as production land that can not be processed since the first blast was just one of a few tens of thousands of area residents affected by the mud. Approximately 80 hectares of rice fields had ever submerged mud in the village of Besuki leaving no requirement for rice growing. Ershad and the other farmers had once tried. Although rice grows life, there is no grain of rice produced. The government and the company just the same money to see the impact of sludge-related only physical damage there. Ershad and thousands of other citizens who do not fit within the map area affected by March 22, 2007 was never viewed as victims.

Urgent action

Poisons and dangerous content certainly can not be solved with the bulletin board signs of danger. Ecological destruction Porong River estuary region, eastern coastal Sidoarjo and Madura Strait also can not be conjured up by doing physical development along the river banks. Moreover, the dangers and risks covered by Lapindo mud tourism program that was launched or magic by doing physical development along the river banks.

The allocation of public money to $ 7.210 trillion until 2014 in the Medium Term Development Plan of Action for Lapindo mudflow handling is never enough when calculating the effects of a complex and widespread. Response and recovery are done only for the actual imaging.

Action to find out hazardous substances, the recovery of environmental quality, medical examination, social and economic recovery should be done without waiting for the citizens of poorer conditions. Evacuation of residents and traffic restrictions on dangerous territory in the vicinity of the mudflow and gas has to be conducted.

by Bambang Catur Nusantara - Executive Director Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI), East Java