Clutching a mengkuang-weave bag tightly to her chest, Alang Angah’s face clouded with anguish at the mention of her late father, Angah Alang.

“He went to bathe in the river but never returned,” she said, but it was all she could muster before falling silent, overcome by grief nine years after the tragic death.

The death of Angah, 76, in just three feet of water in the river he bathed and fished in all his life, was not just a personal tragedy for his family.

With him died a repository of tradition and knowledge, passed down for generations in the quiet Temiar community.

 

Alang Angah, the daughter of community patriarch Angah Alang, who was killed in the river amid a deluge that rushed downstream from the mining, allegedly after a mining pond barrier at a slope gave way. The mine operator denies fault. Photo: Malaysiakini

The villagers believe the flood was man-made, pointing to Bukit Tambun where two licensed iron ore mining operations have been progressively disfiguring their hunting grounds, destroying some of their natural resources, and desecrating parts of areas sacred to the Temiar tribe from generations ago.

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READ: Iron Ore Mining is invading an indigenous Orang Asli Community in Malaysia

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That day, Angah’s grandson Alai Alang said, a tailing pond sitting on a ridge on Bukit Tambun gave way, and water rushed down to where his grandfather was bathing.

The site at Bukit Tambun, which Malaysiakini visited, still shows tell-tale signs of what happened but the pond, with ridge still covered in tailing. The pond, however, has been moved further from the slope.

The mine operator, Redstar Capital Sdn Bhd, said the mining operations had nothing to do with Angah’s death.

Its administrative manager Julice Chu told Malaysiakini the company cooperated with police on the matter, and the case was closed

“You shall refer to the authorities with regards to the facts, instead of relying solely on the untrue and inaccurate allegations,” she said in a statement.

 

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Secluded Paradise laid to Ruin

 

Nothing prepared the quiet community for the vast changes that would come with the opening of the Gua Musang-Cameron Highlands highway in 2004. Indeed, nobody told them it would happen.

Without their consent, their pristine rainforest home turned into oil palm, rubber and durian plantations. In 2009, the first iron ore mine, operated by the Chinese national-owned firm Sterling Goldhill Sdn Bhd completely changed the landscape of their ancestral land.

Before that, the Temiar of Kampung Kelaik lived in seclusion, separate from Orang Asli settlements in Gua Musang and without an administrative centre or “post”.

Even today, getting to the village is a bumpy 30-minute journey through logging trails by four-wheel drive vehicle, from the turn off at the highway.

 

Bukit Tambun (left) and Kampung Kelaik (right), Gua Musang, Kelantan. Photos: Malaysiakini

With no electricity or piped water, they drank from clear streams, foraged and hunted for what they needed, and felt little need to venture beyond their homeland. Even the unhurried pace of Gua Musang town is too bustling for them, said Ahak.

It took the 200 residents of Kampung Kelaik several years after the destruction to realise they had a right to object.

“Twenty years ago when loggers entered our ancestral grounds, some elders from neighbouring Orang Asli posts warned us that challenging the government’s decisions was considered seditious,” he said.

 

 

Poison in Bloodstreams

Returning to Kampung Kelaik more than a decade later, Malaysiakini in the past months conducted more tests on water samples taken at various points of the river – near discharge points of both mines and downstream where Kampung Kelaik residents bathe, swim and fish.

 

Alarmingly, the tests showed levels of chromium – an element which could cause cancer – were far higher than permissible near the discharge point near the mine run by Aqua Orion, and downstream near Kampung Kelaik.

Even more worrying was the blood test results of one villager, Azlan Ahak, 19, the son of village leader Ahak, whose blood sample was found to have chromium levels four times the normal range, raising his cancer risk 64,000 times higher than normal.

 

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How is Iron Ore Mined?

 

Near Deaths of Children

Over the years since mining started, water carrying debris would come thundering down to Sungai Kelaik near the village, often without warning, Ahak said.

“During the rainy season, it was daily,” he said.

In 2013, two years before Angah died, children playing in the same river were nearly swept away in a similar incident.

But the mine operator at the time, Sterling Goldhill said it does not discharge iron tailing effluent into the river and reuses the water in mining operations.

Sterling Goldhill has wound up its business and the mine is now run by Redstar Capital Sdn Bhd.

When contacted, Redstar Capital manager Chu, reiterated that the mine doesn’t discharge water into rivers and reuses the water for mining operations. Chu was also attached to Sterling Goldhill.

But when visiting the site, Malaysiakini saw at least two points where water from Redstar Capital’s ponds were released into streams, with at least one via a water lock.

The other mine operator, Aqua Orion and the mine’s licence holder Syarikat Perlombongan Gua Musang, have yet to respond to Malaysiakini’s request for comment.

An 8km hike into Bukit Tambun from a nearby village reveals a once-thriving rainforest reduced to a muddy, uneven wasteland.

Juvenile trees are strewn across man-made ravines, hastily carved by unskilled migrant workers using excavators in a process locals call “cuci hutan,” or “jungle clearing”, where everything is uprooted and removed.

 

Due to the small size of the rivers that originate from the Bukit Tambun peak, both mines have dammed them to create enough catchment for their water-intensive operations, said Alai.

Licensees under the Waters Act 1920, can, under the supervision of the District Officer, construct infrastructure such as dams and pipes, provided they compensate landowners and remain accountable for any damage caused.

The Act regulates water diversion and construction near rivers to protect water resources and manage flood risks, outlining clear guidelines on licensing, liability, and penalties.

Because of the damming, during the dry seasons, the rivers dry up to become smaller streams, villagers say.

When met, the district officer Nik Raisman Daud said he would instruct the relevant department to inspect the mining sites and investigate allegations of irregularities.

Malaysiakini has also contacted the Environment Department, Geosciences and Mineral Department and the Orang Asli Development Department for comment.

 

Heavy metal levels in fish and ferns

He said although the iron levels in the fish from Kampung Kelaik are higher than the food standards, it is comparable with many freshwater fish.

“Iron levels found in freshwater fish range between 20mg/kg – 100mg/kg,” he told Malaysiakini.

Lawsuit on encroachment of native land

The test results are all compiled as evidence as the Kampung Kelaik residents try to take their matter to the courts again.

Between 2022 and 2023, they tried to seek a court injunction to stop everything that changed the landscape of the entire 8,000ha of their ancestral land  – the logging, the palm oil and durian plantations and the mines. But they failed.

Undeterred, they have filed a lawsuit against 10 companies, the state government and three agencies against encroachment into their native land, crowdsourcing legal costs and support.

 

(Left) Ahak showing a hand-drawn map he made by trekking the borders of 8,923.9ha of Temiar Kampung Kelaik’s ancestral land; (Right) A villager showing a grave. They also bury old knives in a bucket at the grave. Many burial grounds were encroached, they say. Photos: Malaysiakini

Using GPS technology, Ahak and the villagers have painstakingly marked out the boundaries of their native land.

Spreading open a hand-drawn map of their land, Ahak reveals how he has shaded in red about 80 percent of the 8,923.9ha that makes up their native land.

Those areas have already been encroached on by iron ore mining, oil palm and rubber plantations, forest plantations and Malaysia’s largest Musang King plantation.

 

Temiar men gathering around a bonfire on a pitch-black night. Photo: Malaysiakini

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Disappearing way of life

One of the claims they make in their lawsuit is a loss of their native way of life because of the mining, logging and plantation activities. To outsiders, the trees felled are just logs but to the villagers, they are family heirlooms, markers of hunting trails.

When each of them is born, a tree is planted for them. Villagers could point out which tree belongs to whom, and which have been passed down for generations.

The trunk of one inherited rubber tree, planted at least 80 years old, was so large that it took four adult men to wrap their arms around the circumference.

But many of these heirloom trees were logged or bulldozed without consent, they said. The clearing and activities have also desecrated burial grounds.

 

(Left) Villagers watch trucks carrying large logs pass by, leaving a dusty cloud along the trail; (Right) A rubber tree planted 80 years ago is a treasured heirloom. Photos: Malaysiakini

Standing by a dammed river near the top of Bukit Tambun, Alai points to the ravine where the river once flowed. It used to be a favourite camping spot when he hunted with his late father.

“Sometimes we stayed for a month, hunting and living in the dense rainforest, and there were no dirt roads back then.

“Food was plentiful, and we used to catch fish as big as these tree logs,” he added, gesturing to the forest they once trekked through on foot.Now Bukit Tambun is slowly disappearing as excavators continue to chip away at the iron-rich soil.

Azlan Ahak, 19, (sitting, right), with his father, Ahak Uda, 57, (sitting, left) and other relatives take a break from house building. Photo: Malaysiakini

Robbed of heritage, robbed of future

But the roar of the heavy machinery had driven wildlife away, and many villagers had to seek work at the mine, to earn money to buy provisions they once hunted or foraged.

The mining has not just robbed the villagers of their heritage and way of life. It may also rob them of their future.

For Azlan, the teenager whose blood chromium levels were four times the normal range, it means an estimated 64,000 times higher chance of developing cancer in his lifetime.

Chemical health expert, How, estimates that six percent of villagers who have the same exposure as Azlan could face the same dim outlook.

The lawsuit is their final hope to make it all stop.

 

Angah Alang, 76, was an adept swimmer and skilled tribesperson, but on July 23, 2015, he died in just three feet of water.

His body was found trapped among logs and shrubbery which rampaged down the river in a flash flood, along with boulders and mountain debris, some 10km downstream from an iron ore mine uphill.

The Orang Asli patriarch’s death in the river he had fished, swam, and bathed in almost all his life, was a terrible shock to the quiet, remote Temiar community of Kampung Kelaik near Gua Musang, who to this day are grief-stricken by the loss.

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At a spot along the quiet Gua Musang-Cameron Highlands highway, raw iron ore – dark and gritty like coarse sand and almost black in colour – lies in heaps awaiting collection.

“These heaps remain untouched until the company receives an order, which can take up to six months. We know the iron is transported to Prai (in Penang), but we don’t know exactly where,” said Ahak Uda, the leader of the Kampung Kelaik action committee.

The ore comes from two mines near Kampung Kelaik, a Temiar Orang Asli village in the hinterlands of Gua Musang, which have been ravaged after more than a decade of mining. The two mines are Redstar Capital, which started in 2009, and Aqua Orion, which began operations in 2015.

There, the rivers have turned a rusty red, while what was once a thriving rainforest has turned into a muddy wasteland.

The plight of the Temiar of Kampung Kelaik was first highlighted by Malaysiakini in 2012, when it was reported that the river was so tainted that rice cooked with its water also emerged with a rusty red tint. Returning more than a decade later, Malaysiakini had over the past months conducted multiple water and environment sampling at various points of the river, and on fish and ferns. 

They also conducted tests on blood samples of six villagers who consented to have their blood tested for heavy metals. 

Alarmingly, it found that one villager – Azlan Ahak, 19 – who spent the most time in the river daily, had chromium levels four times the normal range in his blood.

How did Chromium get into Azlan’s blood?

Tests conducted by Malaysiakini at the discharge points of the two iron ore mines operating upstream of Kampung Kelaik showed for one of the mines – Aqua Orion – the level of chromium was at 2.6mg/L.

This exceeded the limits allowed by the Department of Environment, said water quality expert Zaki Zainudin, who reviewed the water sample test results.The Department of Minerals and Geosciences does not have a set limit for total chromium, but it sets a limit for two variants of chromium – chromium-6 (0.05mg/L) and chromium-3 (1 mg/L) under the Minerals Development (Effluent) Regulations 2016.

On Zaki’s advice, water samples taken on a subsequent expedition were tested for chromium-6 and chromium-3 separately.

It was found that the sample from a pond where tailing sediments were dumped found elevated levels of both chromium-6 (19.4mg/L) and chromium-3 (34.8mg/L).

The permissible levels by DOE are 1.4mg/L and 2.5mg/L respectively for Class III water sources. Class III refers to rivers that can support aquatic and some human activities with proper treatment.

• 
  Department of Environment River Classes and Uses
  +
  

  CLASS I—Clean river with no treatment necessary.

  CLASS IIA—Can be used for fisheries and water supply with conventional treatment.

  CLASS IIB—Suitable for recreational use with body contact.

  CLASS III—Can be used for water supply with extensive treatment and for fishery and livestock drinking.

  CLASS IV—Can be used for irrigation.

  CLASS V—Polluted river which cannot be used.

Effluents from the pond were released into a river, which found its way to Kampung Kelaik – something Zaki said should not happen.

It is crucial to prevent these elevated levels from entering nearby watercourses, such as rivers and ponds, as they could pose serious health and environmental risks. — Zaki Zainudin, water quality expert.

Water sampling downstream, where Azlan and other villagers access the river for bathing or fishing found a much lower level of chromium – 0.52mg/L for chromium-3 and less than 0.01 for chromium-6.

But it had rained just an hour before sampling.

“Heavy rainfall could dilute the chromium concentration in the water at the time of sampling,” said chemical health expert Vivien How. “Rain can also wash contaminated sediments from upstream areas into rivers, potentially increasing exposure to heavy metals in direct contact with the water.

“However, this may not reflect in a single water sample taken after dilution effects from rain,” she said.

[The infographic below is a looping gif – please pause to view and understand it accurately] 

 

Chemical analysis expert How said that further analysis was required to conclusively link the chromium in Azlan’s blood with pollution in the river but the water and blood data showed it is likely.

She added that the test results didn’t show high chromium levels in the swimming area due to heavy rain during sampling, which might have masked true contamination.

When asked if the plantations may have also contributed to the chromium contamination, she said that the pesticides used can “seep into the soil, contaminate the water, and further enhance environmental burdens”.

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Elevated Risk of Cancer

How said the findings are red flags, enough to warrant further investigations by relevant authorities, especially due to the severe health implications.

She then estimated Azlan’s lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) from his test results. This measures the risk of him developing cancer in his lifetime. She found that it “far exceeded” the normal threshold. How far is that?

[The graphics below are looping gifs – please pause to view them accurately] 

“Using Azlan’s exposure data as a reference for the villagers, this suggested a severe risk of developing non-carcinogenic health effects from chromium exposure through prolonged reliance on the river as a water source. Potential impacts may include kidney, liver, and respiratory issues over the course of exposure,” said How.

Read Vivien How’s technical report here.

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Most Exposure to the River

Azlan was the only one among six villagers tested who had higher than normal chromium levels in his blood. How said his result was “worrying”.

Azlan was also the youngest among them, and spent the most time in the river, compared to the other villagers willing to be tested. “The aluminium, arsenic, and chromium are telling us something… It’s enough to raise concern and bring awareness of this to the relevant parties,” she said.

 

 

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Once a Secluded Paradise

 

Satellite image from 2023 shows how iron ore mining has ravaged pristine rainforests, home of the Temiar folk of Kampung Kelaik near Gua Musang. Image: Malaysiakini

The Gua Musang-Cameron Highlands highway, which opened in 2004, accelerated the spread of oil palm, rubber, and durian plantations, and the mining operations on their ancestral land.

Before that, this Temiar community of about 200 people lived in seclusion, separate from Orang Asli settlements in Gua Musang and without an administrative centre or “post”.

With no electricity or piped water, they drank from clear streams, foraged and hunted for what they needed, and felt little need to venture beyond their homeland. Even the unhurried pace of Gua Musang town was too bustling for them, said Ahak.

 

The stream on the left is slightly further from Kampung Kelaik. The water is clear, compared to the rivers at Kampung Kelaik (right), located directly downstream from the mines. Photos: (left) Azneal Ishak, (right) Kg Kelaik villagers via Malaysiakini

Iron ore mining in Kampung Kelaik started in 2009 when Azlan was just four years old.

By the age of five, he was already joining fishing and hunting expeditions, recalled his father, Ahak, who spoke on his behalf because Azlan was not fluent in Bahasa Malaysia.

Today, he visits the water up to three times a week, his father said.

He spends hours at a time in the river, catching fish and frogs, the community’s main source of protein, especially now that wild game has been chased away by widescale deforestation and the sound of heavy machinery from mining activities.

Since the river they used for drinking, bathing, and fishing for generations started turning red, Kampung Kelaik, with the help of the Health Department and NGOs, sourced water from a neighbouring uphill stream. The stream is clear, compared to the rivers downstream from the mines.

 

A mini reservoir built with the help of NGOs and the Health Department is meant to capture water from an unpolluted stream further away from Kampung Kelaik and pipe it down to the village. But the reservoir often gets clogged by natural debris. Photo: S Vinothaa/Malaysiakini

But these streams are too small to sustain fish populations, and during heavy downpours, the gravity pipe system and small reservoir built to source water is clogged by debris, cutting water supply, sometimes for days, Ahak said.

The struggle even for the most basic things – water – had worn down the community. They feel they have lost more than just the tranquillity of their forest.

Even the skins of the frogs were stained with a cakey, rusty red film by the time the villagers catch them.

 

 

Skin lesions, breathing and neurological difficulties

Like Azlan, those who can’t afford to buy food from outside the village continue to spend hours in the rivers, despite the lesions developing on their skin.

Loophole in the Law

While higher than permissible rates of chromium and other heavy metals found near the discharge point at Aqua Orion may appear like a clear violation of the law, Zaki, the water quality expert, said enforcing it might be a challenge.

 

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Redstar Capital: We comply to all regulations

The Minerals and Geosciences Department (JMG) has yet to respond to Malaysiakini’s questions on suspected irregularities in the mining at Kampung Kelaik.

However, the department confirmed that Redstar Capital is the contractor responsible for the mining operations under a 20-year lease held by Syarikat Perlombongan Gua Musang Sdn Bhd since 2009.

Aqua Orion, meanwhile, was issued a mining licence for 2015 to 2025, the department said.

Redstar Capital administration manager, Julice Chu Lai Siong, defended the company’s practices, and said that media coverage of the issue over the past 10 years had been one-sided.

“We have received questions from the government…Our operations follow the rules,” she said when contacted via telephone.

Responding to Malaysiakini’s email later, she said the mine uses a “closed circuit” and “zero discharge” concept.

“Effluent water will be recycled to be used for mining processing and no effluent water will be released into the river,” she said, adding that the mine does regular effluent monitoring, and rivers nearby are sampled and sent to the JMG and DOE monthly for checks. “We will comply with the JMG standard limits of chromium-3 and chromium-6 which are 0.20 mg/L and 0.05mg/L respectively.”

She said Redstar Capital has never received complaints from the community about its operations, and that community patriarch Alang Angah’s death nine years ago was unrelated to its operation. The police case on the matter has also been closed, she said.

Malaysiakini has also contacted the other mine operator Aqua Orion, Syarikat Pelombongan Gua Musang, and the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (Jakoa) for comment.

 

We want our Land back

Ahak’s voice betrayed the anguish and worry he tried to hide when Malaysiakini called him with the bad news about his son Azlan’s blood test.

With urgency in his voice, he asked if all the villagers could be tested because the river is central to their lives – for fishing, washing, and playing.

“Many others go to the river more often. This is very dangerous, and I’m deeply concerned for their safety.”

When met, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad told Malaysiakini his ministry would conduct further testing on the villagers to assess them for heavy metal poisoning, following the high levels of chromium found in Azlan’s blood sample.

Lawsuit against Native Land Encroachment

Ahak is now even more resolved to see through the community’s civil suit against the Kelantan government and other parties the villagers accused of encroaching into some 8,000 hectares of ancestral land and their way of life.

They have filed a lawsuit against 10 companies, the state government, and three agencies, crowdsourcing legal costs and support.

“We want our ancestral land back. We believe if these operations stop, the land will heal and eventually return to its original state, allowing future generations to thrive here,” Ahak said.

“We are the original people of this land and we have every right to reclaim what is ours.”

 

Harinder Singh lies on a charpai in a small room with no windows, coughing and struggling for breath. The 64 year old gets up, wraps a shawl around himself and ventures out, ruing the day he was born in Uncha Amirpur, a village of 3,264 people located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, just 48 kilometers from the country’s national capital.

Singh has been battling liver cancer for the last two years. He blames the nearby thermal power station for his condition. 

“I only have a few months left to live,” Singh told Asian Dispatch. “Taking every breath feels like a struggle here and I can’t escape it.”  

Singh’s single storey two-room house is merely 300 meters away from one of India’s largest coal and gas-fired thermal power plants. It is run by the government-owned National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), India’s largest integrated power company that claims to light every fourth bulb in the South Asian nation. 

Thick black smoke, full of toxic pollutants, constantly billows out of its chimneys. “It’s not just the cancer that’s killing me but the toxic air that’s slowly stealing away whatever hope I had left,” he said.

Singh used to work as a truck driver and is the lone breadwinner for his family comprising his wife and two children. Seven years ago, he stopped working after his body started trembling and his eyes turned yellow due to Hepatitis C. Every 10 days, he visits a hospital, which is almost four kilometers away, to have fluids removed from his abdomen. 

“I don’t know who will take care of my wife and kids after my death,” said Singh with tears in his eyes.

 

“I have only a few months left to live. Taking every breath feels like a struggle here and I can’t escape it.” – Harinder Singh, a resident of Uncha Amirpur village, some 48 kms from Indian capital, New Delhi. Photo: Suhail Bhat

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The Cost of Power 

There are 285 thermal power plants like the one in Uncha Amirpur across India, the world’s second highest in number next to only China, which has 1,161 coal-fired power plants. Unlike China’s momentous energy transition journey, India presents a complex picture, where the possibility of a coal phase-out is pitted against its booming population’s power needs. Seventy-five percent of India’s power comes from its thermal utilities. These, in turn, account for 80 percent of industrial emissions of sulphur- and nitrous-oxides, which are responsible for lung diseases, acid rain and smog. 

These emissions are increasing. 

Official data shows that the country consumed approximately 1,155.3 million tonnes of coal in 2023, of which 826.64 million tonnes were accounted for by thermal power plants. This is an uptick from the 1072.81 million tonnes of coal consumed in 2023. In 2024, India consumed 1,267.58 million tonnes of coal. During combustion, the sulphur in coal combines with oxygen, forming sulfur dioxide, which contributes to an increase in particulate matter, or PM2.5, unless effective capture mechanisms are in place.

 

Students return home from Thakur Khambir Singh Harpayari De Middle School, amidst the backdrop of the Dadri thermal power plant, in Uncha Amipur village. Photo: Suhail Bhat

The impact of these emissions is brazen: Indian cities continue to be some of the most polluted cities in the world. New Delhi, which was the most polluted capital city in the world in 2023, has 11 thermal power stations in its radius of 300 kilometers. They emit 281 kilotonnes of sulphur dioxide every year, which is 16 times more than the 17.8 kilotonnes produced by burning 8.9 million tonnes of paddy straw, which is often blamed as a primary contributor to air pollution. The concentration of PM2.5 in New Delhi is nearly 10 times higher than the WHO guidelines. Air pollution causes more than 2 million deaths a year in India. 

Cities like Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh), home to the Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (4,760 MW), Korba (Chhattisgarh), with multiple thermal plants, and Chandrapur (Maharashtra), housing the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (2,920 MW), have a similar stories too. 

India currently imposes regulations on the emissions levels and environmental impact of these plants. There is, however, no specific mandate requiring them to generate 40 percent of their power from renewable sources. India’s goal is to achieve 50 percent of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, which includes both renewable energy and nuclear power. 

Over the years, the country directed the thermal plants to install flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) units at thermal plants, which use absorbants to cut sulphur emissions, thereby controlling the ambient PM 2.5 levels and improving air quality. The first deadline to install them was 2017, which has been extended multiple times since. 

Experts say the FGD technology works. 

Shreya Verma, programme manager for the Industrial Pollution Team at the Centre for Science and Environment, told Asian Dispatch that timely FGD implementation for Category A, B and C is crucial to combat air pollution effectively. The A, B and C categorisation is based on the location of thermal power plants that allows for a phased compliance. Category A comprises plants in cities with populations over 1 million, which had to comply by December 31, 2024. Category B’s compliance deadline is end of year in 2025, and Category C plants must comply by the end of 2026. 

 

In a written reply at the Lok Sabha, Shripad Naik, the Minister of State for Power said that 39 thermal power plants have successfully installed FGD, while 238 plants have had contracts awarded or are under implementation. Some 139 plants are in various stages of the tendering process.

“We urge all stakeholders to focus on execution and hold non-compliant plants accountable with strict penalties,” Verma said, adding: “The repeated extensions of SO2 compliance deadlines are a grave concern, especially given the severe health impacts on millions in Delhi-NCR.”

A 2024 report by Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air found significant emissions reductions post-FGD implementation, of 65 percent, 69 percent, and 60 percent in the state, central, and private sectors respectively. Significant as this might be, Dr Yasmeen Abdullah, a gynecologist at Delhi’s Jamia Hamdard Hospital, told Asian Dispatch that it’s perhaps too little and too late for those exposed to years of toxic air from thermal plants. 

“The damage to their health is substantial and cannot be easily reversed,” Abdullah said. 

Asian Dispatch contacted the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change for comments, but received no response. This reporter also reached out to NTPC and several of its officials. There is no response yet. The NTPC’s 2023-2024 annual report lists several measures to enhance environmental compliance, including in Dadri, where Uncha Amirpur village is located. However, these measures are not yet scaled to the level required for a company of NTPC’s size. Key technologies like FGD and biomass co-firing are limited to a fraction of its fleet, leaving significant gaps in achieving broader environmental targets.

 

A Timeline of FGD Compliance

2015: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change introduces emission norms for coal-fired thermal power plants. The first deadline is set for 2017.

2017: The Union Ministry of Power requests an extension of another 7 years. The Supreme Court grants five more years on top of that – up until 2022 – with the Delhi-National Capital Region plants to comply by 2019. 

2021: A task force comprising representatives from the environment and power ministries is formed, whose job is to disaggregate 596 coal-fired thermal power plants based on location, resulting in Categories A, B and C with varying compliance deadlines.

2022: New deadlines set for sulphur dioxide compliance for non-retiring thermal power plants. Category A has a deadline of December 31, 2024; Category B of December 31, 2025 and Category C of December 31, 2026.

2024: A notification in December announces another extension for sulphur dioxide compliance for non-retiring thermal power plants. Category A now has a deadline of December 31, 2027; Category B of December 31, 2028; and Category C of December 31, 2029.

“No One will Survive”

In Uncha Amirpur, rooftops of homes are covered in dust. The air is filled with smoke. The leaves on trees and crops are coated with a whitish layer of residue, giving an unnatural appearance to the greenery.

Many villagers suffer from Hepatitis, cancer, asthma, and various skin and bone diseases. Their eyes are watery or yellowing due to the heavy air pollution. Most women in the area have bloated stomachs, often caused by Hepatitis C. 

Sarla, who goes by single name, is battling Hepatitis C, asthma, kidney diseases and severe bone disease. The 60-year-old woman’s left hand is severely fractured and she is unable to do any work. 

“I can’t stand for more than 10 minutes or even take a long walk due to my weak bones and asthma,” she says. “I’m so helpless. I pray to God for relief through death now.”

Whether it is summer or winter, residents say their struggle remains the same. 

It’s not just the air that’s contaminated with pollutants but the water, too, which is contaminated and severely harmful to health. Ninety percent of the people in the village rely on groundwater for drinking, which has a Total Dissolved Solids level – a measure of anything dissolved in water that is not an H2O molecule – above 1,000. A TDS level of over 600 is considered not fit for drinking, according to WHO guidelines. 

Skin infections due to contaminated water is a common sight in the village.

 

“I can’t stand for more than 10 minutes or even take a long walk due to my weak bones and asthma. I’m so helpless. I pray to God for relief through death now.” – Sarla, a 60-year-old Uncha Amirpur resident battling Hepatitis C, asthma, kidney diseases and severe bone disease. Photo: Suhail Bhat

“The water in the mornings often appears yellow,” Pradeep Kumar, the village sarpanch, told Asian Dispatch. “It’s not just health. The pollution has also damaged agricultural production. The vegetables are coated with dust and the yield is less than before.”

Kumar adds that almost 20 percent of the population has permanently shifted from the village, leaving their properties behind. Shuttered homes, in the narrow lanes of the village, present a desolate look.

“The economically well-off have left, while the rest of the population continues to suffer,” Kumar says, adding that they protested against the power plant in the past and requested the government to close it. Their pleas went unheard.

“We have lost seven people in the past week due to Hepatitis B and C, and several others are suffering from liver damage and cancer,” Kumar said.   

This reporter visited Dr Rizwan Sofi, who has been operating a clinic in Uncha Amirpur for several years. He confirmed the prevalence of Hepatitis, asthma, eye diseases, and many other pollution-related diseases. 

He said: “If the pollution continues at this rate, I fear no one will survive here.”

 

“The economically well-off have left, while the rest of the population continues to suffer. Residents here protested against the power plant in the past and requested the government to close it. Our pleas went unheard.” – Pradeep Kumar, the village head of Uncha Amirpur. Photo: Suhail Bhat

Inhaling Poison

Research shows that air pollution contributes to nearly six million premature births globally. Pregnant women living in polluted areas are more likely to go into preterm labor, which increases the risk of low birth weight, underdeveloped lungs, and infant death during or after birth. 

Anjeeli, 23, from Bulandshahr, recently moved to Uncha Amirpur after marrying a resident called Raghav. The couple live just 300-meters away from the power plant. Anjeeli is eight months pregnant and is worried about her unborn baby. “I feel anxious. Every day of my pregnancy is a challenge to survive,” says Anjeeli. She recalls being able to breathe freely in her parental home in Bulandshahr. “Since I moved here, every breath feels like we’re inhaling poison,” Anjeeli says. 

Many pregnant women in villages around Dadri are experiencing similar issues. 

“When pregnant women breathe polluted air, sooty particles reach the placenta through the bloodstream, disrupting fetal lung development,” said Abdullah, the gynecologist from Jamia Hamdard Hospital. “This toxic exposure can lead to long-term respiratory issues, such as asthma and allergies.”

 

“When pregnant women breathe polluted air, sooty particles reach the placenta through the bloodstream, disrupting fetal lung development. This toxic exposure can lead to long-term respiratory issues, such as asthma and allergies.” –  Dr Yasmeen Abdullah, the gynecologist from Jamia Hamdard Hospital. In Photo: Anjeeli, 23, an eight-month pregnant resident of Uncha Amirpur. Photo: Suhail Bhat

Another side effect of high levels of pollution is damage to the eyes, which can, over time, result in partial or complete loss of vision.  

Rupwati, 65, lives alone in her single-room house which acts as a kitchen, a living room and bedroom. A few years ago, she started experiencing a burning sensation in her eyes, as if something is stuck inside. Soon, she lost vision in one of her eyes.

 

Rupwati, a 65-year-old resident of Uncha Amirpur. Photo: Suhail Bhat

“Now, my other eye is starting to have the same issues,” she wails, her voice filled with pain and frustration. “I live alone, and now I am unable to work properly.” Echoing the sentiments of her fellow residents, she says: “This power plant has taken everything from us.”

In recent decades, the crisp mornings of winter have become a myth in South Asian cities like Lahore and Delhi. Instead, the season begins with smog-laden skies and headlines warning of air unfit to breathe. This makes us wonder if it is even humanely possible to breathe in the air that has plunged to such alarming levels. What is more alarming is that, according to the World Bank’s report, nine out of the world’s 10 cities with the worst air quality are in South Asia. 

Studies show that women are biologically more susceptible to the effects of air pollution, with higher risks of respiratory issues that don’t respond to treatments. And then there are the children, whose developing lungs are far more vulnerable to the toxic air they breathe. Prolonged exposure to high pollution levels increases respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis. During these months, hospitals see increased pediatric cases of respiratory distress. This makes us realise that this isn’t just an environmental crisis; it’s a public health emergency affecting millions of lives, especially the most vulnerable.

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READ: Justice Denied, Without Trial: How Draconian Laws in Asia Are Weaponised Against Free Speech

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The question in the air is: What are governments across Asia doing to combat this crisis? While India rolls out emergency measures like complete ban on non-essential diesel trucks entering the city and a suspension of all construction and demolition activities, these are often too little, too late. China, by contrast, has shown success through long-term policies such as aggressive emissions control which led to a notable decline in pollution levels over the last decade. However, South and Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia and Thailand continue to grapple with cross-border haze. 

While policy and lawmakers debate and delay, we are heading towards a future where generations of children grow up with compromised health. Workers continue to toil in toxic clouds of smog, while the privileged hide behind their purifiers. While we demand accountability from the government, we should also hold industrial capitalists and ourselves responsible. 

Perhaps it’s not about waiting for the air to clear, but about realising that the longer we wait, the less we leave for those who come after us.

 

Reports across media outlets have frequently cited Lahore as the most polluted city worldwide, with toxic air levels posing significant health risks. Following Lahore, cities like Multan, Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Haripur, and Karachi rank high on the pollution index. However, climate change has intensified the smog crisis, lengthening its seasonal duration.

A primary driver of smog is vehicle and factory emissions, along with smoke from burning crop stubble, coal, waste, and tires. These pollutants accumulate in the atmosphere and manifest particularly during winter, persisting through the season. Yet, recent years have seen climate change exacerbate this process.

In exploring the climate and smog connection, TNN spoke with Dr. Muhammad Faheem, head of the Peshawar Meteorological Department. Dr. Faheem noted that climate change has altered local weather patterns, affecting rain schedules and intensifying smog duration. “Previously, winter rains began around late November or December and continued until March. However, due to climate change, December is now notably dry, and rainfall in November has also reduced, which in turn extends the duration and severity of smog and fog, posing dangers to the ecosystem and public health.”

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Fog Formation and its Duration in Pakistan’s Plains

Dr. Faheem explained that fog forms when skies are clear, wind speeds are negligible, and humidity levels are high, creating ideal conditions for fog to persist. The occurrence of fog isn’t restricted to specific months but is common from October onward in plains regions. In these areas, as the ground cools, any incoming humid air can result in condensed vapor droplets, creating fog.

Due to reduced December rainfall in recent years, fog episodes now last longer. Additionally, if January and February also remain dry, fog and smog can extend into late February. Climate shifts have contributed to this prolonged duration, bringing about hazardous implications for urban environments and the communities within them.

With Lahore currently topping the global list of most polluted cities, Pakistan faces an intensifying air quality crisis, particularly affecting major cities like Multan, Islamabad, and Karachi. Recent reports indicate that climate change has extended the duration of smog and fog across the country, worsening public health and environmental conditions.

Dr. Muhammad Faheem from Peshawar’s Meteorological Department highlighted how prolonged fog can disrupt aviation, and road traffic, and impact respiratory health, especially in vulnerable groups. “People with respiratory illnesses may experience significant challenges breathing, creating dangerous conditions,” he stated, adding that fog-related accidents and delays are also common on motorways and major roads.

Health experts warn that smog and fog pose serious health risks for children and elderly citizens, leading to illnesses like throat infections, eye irritation, allergies, and respiratory issues.

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Distinguishing Smog from Fog

Dr. Faheem clarified that, though visually similar, fog and smog have distinct compositions and impacts. Fog occurs when moisture condenses due to low temperatures, creating a thick white haze, while smog combines this moisture with pollution, darkening the air and forming a dense, dirty mist. Unlike fog, which dissipates with the sun, smog lingers and is laden with airborne pollutants, causing noticeable eye and respiratory irritation.

The World Air Quality Index recently ranked Lahore as the world’s most polluted city, underscoring a crisis that experts argue is exacerbated by insufficient governmental intervention. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly urged global policymakers to address climate change as a priority. However, Pakistan, although ranked among the five most climate-vulnerable countries, has yet to implement effective measures beyond paperwork.

Experts emphasize the urgent need for concrete policies and actions to combat air pollution and address climate impacts as Pakistan faces an escalating environmental and public health crisis.

 

“Even animals need water. Without water, we will die in vain,” Ratna griped.

The 58-year-old was upset that the water from the local spring water system that flowed into her house was now full of mud. This had become a regular occurrence ever since nickel mining company PT Gema Kreasi Perdana started its operations on Wawonii Island in Konawe Islands Regency in Southeast Sulawesi. The company, the sole owner of a concession permit on the island, is a subsidiary of natural resources conglomerate Harita Group – owned by one of Indonesia’s richest men, Lim Hariyanto Wijaya Sarwono. 

Ratna could not hold back her tears. She was angry at the company that had degraded the environment and was disappointed at fellow residents who supported mining on the 706-square-kilometer island.

The mining operation has affected every aspect of her life. She has to wait for hours for the water to be clean enough to be used for bathing and doing her laundry and dishes. Furthermore, she now has to buy drinkable water, which costs her about 50 US cents a gallon. 

The impacts of mining on the island’s spring water system possibly started on May 21, 2023. At that time, farmers noticed that the water spring had become increasingly murky, while the pipe used to distribute water from the island’s only water reservoir was cut off. They believed that some people might have purposely cut the water distribution to contain the problem.   

Ratna had seen this coming when the nickel company started its operations there.

Those who sold the land said the mining wouldn’t harm us, but now, we’re all looking for clean water. They were fooled by the company. We’re doomed here. —Ratna, lifelong resident of Sukarela Jaya Village, Southeast Wamonii.

The mother of two was never tempted to sell her land, despite being offered hundreds of millions of rupiah. The company’s money could run out in an instant, she said, but the crops could be enjoyed perennially. 

“The yield of nutmeg in one year can be tons. We are criticized for refusing good fortune [by selling our land]. Doesn’t the abundance of nutmeg bring good fortune?”

Life had been sufficiently good for Ratna before the nickel miners came. Her plantation allowed her to acquire basic necessities and also save enough money to make an umrah pilgrimage to Mecca in early 2023.

“It’s totally okay to have just enough money to buy food. We must think far ahead. We have a younger generation”. She admitted that she was frustrated at the fact that her complaints had been ignored despite having to face the same problems on a daily basis.  

Amid public protests, excavators proceeded to clear the land and dredge the soil. Vehicles carrying nickel ore continued to pass towards the port, which was located only 200 metres or so from Ratna’s house. 

It’s only natural that Ratna plans to abstain in the upcoming elections. She feels abandoned by the council members, who are supposed to represent the people. “Our voice means nothing to the council members. When we expressed our opposition to the mining, we were thrown out like animals. We were even attacked with tear gas during our protest in Kendari. I almost died from suffocation.”

They say investors bring prosperity, but in reality they only bring misery. The investors are killing us slowly. There is no justice being served; there is no humanity. It is like living under colonialism. We are colonized by our own country. —Ratna

Fleeing into the Forest

It was 6 in the morning in May 2023 in Sukarela Jaya Village, and Hastati was busy splitting no less than a thousand old coconuts to make copra. Half of the coconuts were harvested from her plantation, and the rest were purchased from her neighbours. The number of coconuts produced in one harvest time, or every three months, is usually around 3,000. Meanwhile, the price of white copra is Rp 7,500 per kg and black copra Rp 6,500 per kg. Apart from coconut meat, Hastati makes a living from selling coconut shell charcoal. 

Like other residents who objected to the nickel mining, Hastati was satisfied making a living from the proceeds of her plantation. The 45-year-old was once offered Rp 1 billion to give up the 2-hectare plot of land she inherited from her parents. She was also promised a fully funded umrah and education for her six children, but Hastati never accepted the offer.

“We want to defend our lands, and the rest of Wawonii Island. It’s better for us to be independent like this,” she said. Like Ratna, she emphasised that the company’s money could run out in the blink of an eye, while a well-maintained natural environment could provide a living for many generations. 

“When the mountain is completely dredged, the company will leave. What about us, then?”

On Hastati’s land grows nutmeg, cloves, and cashew nuts. Last year, she harvested 50 kg of cloves. The average nutmeg yield was 5 kg. Cashews are the most productive, as the harvest can reach up to 4 tonnes in a year.

Like Ratna, the scarcity of clean water has affected all aspects of her life. Hastati never thought she would go through this difficult time. Before the mining company came, the residents had never lacked clean water as water from the Banda Spring flowed freely into the villages.

“Now we have to go to the river to wash. How can we not be angry?”

As a form of resistance to the mining activities, Hastati refused to accept clean water from the company. It was not just about the water; it was about principles, she said. “Now we have to use river water for cooking.”

Hastati will never forget what happened in 2022, when she and other women stripped off their clothes during a protest against the nickel mining. She also hid in the forest for almost two months. She was afraid of being arrested for ‘obstructing’ the mining operation. 

“We were just defending our land, but the police were chasing us as if we were thieves or murderers”.

 

 

Hastati hid in the forest with eight other residents, including Amlia who refused to sell her land for roads for the mine’s trucks and heavy machinery. 

I met Amlia in her farm on May 20, 2023. She said that she hid in the forest after receiving a summons as a “witness” by the Konawe Islands Police. 

“The persons summoned by the police were the ones who owned the land. As long as they did not give up the land, they would not be released. We thought it’d be better to run than answering the summons.”

Amlia and others went through difficult times when hiding in the forest. They roamed through the forest during the day and looked for a hut to take shelter when the night came. Some days they did not eat at all.

“Even when we could eat, we did not feel like eating. When we rested, we were still anxious. How could we stay calm? The police were looking for us,” said Amlia.

Like Hastati, Amlia was also promised a large sum of money. Her husband and eldest son were both offered a salary from the corporation, without the need to do any work, but she was not tempted by the offer. 

Cassava, chilli, banana, and coconut trees grow near her hut. Heavy rain a few days earlier  inundated part of the farm with water that carried red mud sediment. Amlia was sure the mud came from the excavated land in mining areas.

The nickel mining has further affected her daily routine as a farmer. She used to go to the farm at 8 in the morning, but now she has to start one-and-a-half hours earlier since access to the farm is blocked by the company’s haul roads. To reach her farm, Amlia needs to walk two hours from where she can park her motorbike. During harvest season, Amlia and her husband have no choice but to carry 20 to 30 kilograms of produce by foot over the hilly roads.

“Even though it is difficult, we are still trying to do our best. As farmers, our income indeed comes from gardening,” said Amalia who was carrying 20 kg of cassava from her farm to the motorbike.

 

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Damaged Water Springs

Just like the other days, Saharia, a resident of Dompo-Dompo Jaya village, woke up early in the morning to prepare her family’s breakfast. But when she turned on the tap to wash the fish, the water turned orange. Luckily, there was some water in the tank  left from the rain a few days ago.

The 50-year-old is a single mother of four children. Her family owns 250 square metres of garden planted with coconuts, cashews, nutmeg, and cloves. The coconut flesh was later turned into copra, and the shell into charcoal. Saharia was consumed by anxiety as their garden could be taken over at any time by the corporation.

PT Gema Kreasi Perdana started the production and shipment of nickel ore in August 2022, shortly before the pollution of water springs began to be reported. The two main supply channels of clean water in the Sukarela Jaya and Dompo-Dompo Jaya villages have seemingly been polluted by mud since heavy rainfall hit on May 9, 2023.

 

On May 19, 2023, I visited the Banda Spring in Southeast Wawonii forest, about an hour walk from Dompo-Dompo Jaya Village. The spring, situated in a karst cave at an altitude of 119 metres above sea level, flows into several tributaries serving as sources of irrigation for residents’ farms and rice fields. 

On May 21, the area experienced another round of rain. The water in Sukarela Jaya, Dompo-Dompo Jaya, and Roko-Roko turned dark. Those residing on the seashore were busy cleaning the gutters, removing mud carried by rainwater. Locals said changes in the colour of seawater have always occurred after rain, but never with such dramatic contrast. 

When I checked the pipes in the settlement, the water was dark. Less than two hours after the rain, water distribution was cut off. Later, I met some women carrying bundles of clothes on their motorbikes. “I am going to do the laundry,” one woman shouted. “The water (flowing into our houses) is useless,” another chimed in.

I then visited the confluence of Roko-Roko River and Tambusiu-Siu River, which supply water to the Banda Spring. The colour difference between the two rivers was quite striking; Roko-Roko was slightly murky, while Tambusiu-Siu was brown. Roko-Roko is the only stream that is not polluted by the mining activities and can still be used by residents for bathing, washing, and cooking. The mining corporation has apparently distributed clean water to the residents, but some of them have refused it to signify their rejection of mining in Wawonii.

 

Saharia is among the local residents who object to nickel mining in the area. As a single parent, she has the dual role of taking care of the household and earning a living. The environmental destruction caused by the mining has only made things more difficult for her. To get clean water, she now has to walk to a river 500 metres away from her house. The scarcity of water has forced the family to reduce the frequency with which they go to the toilet. In Saharia’s house, there are three women who go through their menstrual phase every month.

It is very difficult for us when we’re going through our period . We are required to clean ourselves frequently, but what can we do without water? —Saharia

Until the dry season came in mid-August, clean water had yet to be restored. The water flowing in the pipes still carried mud sediment. Saharia was struck by fear every time she used the contaminated water, but she had no other choice. For drinking and cooking, she sometimes asked for clean water from a neighbour who has a well.  

“I’m worried about my family’s health. Our bodies get itchy after having a shower. We really miss the old days when the water was clean,” she said.

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Nickel Mining is Getting Under the Skin of Locals

Ristan has been sleep-deprived lately. The 24-year-old mother wakes up almost every night because her beloved baby also is also having difficulty sleeping. Abyan, Ristan’s nine-month-old son, has been suffering from itchy skin for the past four months. Reddish spots first appeared on his calf and ankle, and then spread to the toes and soles of his feet.

“It’s actually getting better lately. Before this, my baby’s feet were full of wounds. Very unsightly,” said Ristan while showing me Abyan’s rough skin. 

Skin disease also struck Ristan, her husband, and her parents. Nahati, Ristan’s mother, had very itchy black spots all over her body a while ago. Almost all residents of Mosolo, Sinar Mosolo, and Sinaulu Jaya Villages have experienced similar ailments. 

“The reddish spots felt itchy at first, and when we started to scratch they’d turn hot or even bleeding. I tried to treat it by drinking a herbal decoction,” Nahati said.

The water consumed by Ristan’s family comes from a source approximately 500 metres from a nickel mining site. 

Sixty-five-year-old Nahati has resided in Mosolo since she was 5, but she only experienced the skin condition recently. The water used to turn murky after days of heavy rain. Today, however, the water changes colour after even the briefest rain shower. 

Another Mosolo resident, Tika, also complained of itching. An, her one-year-old infant, was no different. The skin on his toes peeled off, and there were black scars on his legs. The mother and son ended up seeing a doctor in the city of Kendari last August. 

“The doctor said there wasn’t any problem with the food we eat. He just said it might be due to the weather,” Tika said, adding that her family solely relied on spring water.

 Wa Muita lives in Sinaulu Jaya Village with her five family members, three of whom are women. She has had skin ailments for the past year – ever since a nickel mine started operating nearby. She has tried a variety of medications to no avail. The water she uses for the household’s needs has been getting murky recently, and it gets darker anytime it rains. 

“I have used a lot of medications, yet the itching persists. Perhaps it’s due to the polluted water we regularly consume. There’s no doubt that we are angry. It’s never been like this before”.

 

Left: Abyan’s skin is red and itchy. The nine-month-old baby boy has suffered from the skin disease for around four months since the water his family used was allegedly contaminated with mud from nickel mining. Right: A Sinaulu Jaya resident shows her skin rash. Photos: Yuli Z./Project Multatuli

Jumriati, a 24-year-old resident of Sinaulu Jaya, said she was worried about her family’s health due to their regular consumption of the polluted water.

“I hope the government will pay attention to our complaints and not let the community be affected by mining’s destructive impacts. The company is profiting at the expense of our lives,” she said.

Lahadi, a caretaker of the water reservoir in Sinaulu Jaya, confirmed that the water quality had deteriorated since the nickel mining company started excavating land in 2020.

“We cannot be sure whether the pollution is due to the company’s activities. But one thing’s for sure, every time it rains for at least a day, the spring brings lumps of mud into the reservoir,” said Lahadi. “I’m not making up stories. You can ask anyone living near the mining site; the ecosystem has been disrupted.”

A local environmental official in the Konawe Islands, Hasnawati, denied claims that the water in Sinaulu Jaya had been polluted. Water consumed by the community still met the quality standards set by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, she said in a statement, adding that tests had been carried out on the Pamsimas Sukarela Jaya and Pamsimas Dompo-Dompo Jaya Springs.

“The water sample was examined in an accredited laboratory (in Kolaka Regency), and the result shows that the water meets the regulatory standards of the Environment and Forestry Ministry,” she said.

However, she did not provide the test results before this article was completed. “Those are kept  by my staff,” said Hasnawati.

Muhammad Jamil, an activist with the environmental group Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM), said skin ailments were common in nickel mining areas. Similar diseases could also be found in the Pomalaa District of Kolaka Regency and Tinanggea District in South Konawe Regency. 

“As far as I know, the problem has been studied by a number of universities,” he said.

Research conducted by La Maga, Ahyar Ismail, and Faroby Falatehan from IPB University in Bogor (2017) found that Tinanggea residents experienced skin disease after using water contaminated by material from nickel mining sites. In addition to the skin conditions, residents also suffered from respiratory problems, as they were exposed to dust raised up by the mining. Such air pollution affected those within a three-kilometre radius of nickel mining sites, the study found.

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Defending the Land

“I was devastated watching the clove trees being ripped down. It was like seeing your own children murdered,” said Wa Muita, a 43-year-old resident of Sinaulu Jaya, as she recalled the events of August 10, 2023.

A day before, residents received reports that their plantations on Mosolo hill, two hours away from their settlement, had been cleared by PT Gema Kreasi Perdana. Amiri, Wa Muita’s husband, rushed to check his plantation in the middle of the night and found that 40 of his clove trees had been toppled. Apart from that, the corporation also tore down dozens of pepper trees and cashew trees that were about to bear fruit. 

Wa Muita and some 20 other farmers came by the next day. They were saddened to see the 18-year-old clove trees that had long been the source of their livelihood destroyed just like that.

“I was speechless, tears streaming down my face,” said Wa Muita.

Shortly after, hundreds of residents gathered at the plantation area. They confronted the company for trespassing, but the company claimed that it had acquired the land through other parties. Wa Muita and Amiri stressed that they had never sold their land, let alone received money from the supposed transaction. The situation quickly spiralled out of hand as members of both conflicting parties threatened each other – some with sharp weapons.

“Every time I go to the farm, I always talk to the clove trees. ‘Please bear fruit soon. We care for you like our own children. And you are the ones paying for your siblings’ school fees’,” she said. 

Wa Muita has two children who are attending college; another one is in high school, and the youngest of all is in elementary school. Their tuition fees have been covered by the sale of cloves. In 2019, the family harvested a ton of cloves. The price of one kilogram of cloves in Southeast Wawonii is roughly Rp 130,000. The 40 clove trees uprooted by PT Gema Kreasi Perdana were immensely precious to Wa Muita.

Despite everything the company had put her through, Wa Muita only asked PT Gema Kreasi Perdana to stop clearing the land.  

“We accept what they’ve done to us and hope the company still has some conscience. We have further requested the person who sold the land without our authorization to refund the company’s money”.

“Without this land we don’t know what to do. This is our sole source of income,” she emphasised.

Despite encountering such fierce rejection, the company has continued to clear residents’ land, said Wa Muita, forcing her and other farmers to maintain guard of their respective fields for months.

“We didn’t even have time to take care of ourselves from February to May. We did not shower, and only ate whatever was available”.

 

 

Before the trespassing incident, Wa Muita visited her field twice a week. Now she’s forced to go there more often to guard her land.

I don’t know what to say. I feel devastated. Why are there such evil people? We desperately care for the land, and they come and violate it just like that.. On top of that, they have also threatened to evict us. I hope the media, or anybody really, can help us to stop the destruction of our mother nature. —Wa Muita

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Pitted Against Each Other

Not only does has mining had environmental impacts, it’s also triggered family conflicts: parents and children have come to despise each other; siblings have become enemies; and partners have split up.

For instance, Sanawiahas been estranged from her parents for over three years. The family conflict started when one of Sanawia’s brothers, with their father’s permission, sold their parents’ land in 2019. 

The land sale was sealed as Sanawia protested against the mining at the Konawe Islands Council Office. It was only while on her way back home that Sanawia heard her parents’ land had been sold to the mining company.

“I could only cry. The company quickly cleared the land. Since then I haven’t been to visit my parents,” said the 45-year-old woman who has four siblings, three of whom support the mining activities. Sanawia said that, among her siblings, she used to be the closest to her parents — but not anymore.

She did not know exactly how much of her parents’ land was being sold. What she knows is that the field could usually produce 3,000 coconuts each harvest season. The mother of two wants to fix her relationship with her parents and siblings, but only under one condition. “Our relationship can be repaired as soon as the mining operation stops,” Sanawia insisted.

Aba, not his real name, said his daughter was abandoned by her husband while she was pregnant with their second child. His son-in-law had offered him money provided by the company in compensation for Aba’s land, which was used for PT Gema Kreasi Perdana’s haul roads.

Aba had previously been taken to the police station for defending his land. So he was enraged when his son-in-law made a deal with the company without his consent. He refused the money and demanded it be returned to the company.

When the couple was about to build a house, Aba’s son-in-law asked his wife to take out a loan, but she refused. That was when the son-in-law brought up Aba’s refusal to accept compensation from the mining company. The quarrel escalated into domestic violence.

“One night, my daughter came to me, crying. Her right eye was bruised. I tried to reconcile the couple, and they did get back together. But, after a few days, when my daughter was looking for mussels in the sea, her husband ran away and has not yet returned,” Aba explained.

Now, his daughter and two grandchildren live with him. “I will never accept the company’s money. I’m already old, it’s true, but I’m thinking about the future of my grandchildren,” Aba stated.

Both Sanawia and Aba reside in Roko-Roko, and in this village, social divisions caused by the mining company are no longer a secret. A number of people I met expressed reluctance to engage with anybody from the opposing ‘camp’.

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A Legal Battle against Mining Activities

Wawonii Island, which covers an area of 706 square kilometres is categorised as a small island, based on Law No. 27/2007 on the Protection of Coastal Areas and Small Islands. Thus, as mandated by the law, mining activities cannot be carried out on the island. 

Several civil society groups noted that at least 2,214 people living in the villages of Dompo-Dompo Jaya, Sukarela Jaya, Roko-Roko, Bahaba, and Teporoko were affected by PT Gema Kreasi Perdana’s nickel mining. For the record, PT Gema Kreasi Perdana obtained a nickel mining permit in 2007. By the end of 2019, the subsidiary of Harita Group secured a mining operation permit (IUP) on an area of 850.9 hectares, around 83 percent of which was forest area lent by the state under a forest area utilisation permit (IPPKH) scheme. It was also granted permission to build a port in the Wawonii Strait. 

The development, according to a coalition of civil society groups, has harmed the aquatic ecosystem, including mangroves and coral reefs, on and around Wawonii Island. The murky water resulting from mining activities has made it difficult for fishermen to catch fish. The port also keeps fish away from the shoreline. The thick dust generated by the transportation of nickel ore has also damaged residents’ respiratory systems, the coalition emphasised.

Even though the law prohibits mining on the small island, the local government has issued a regional planning regulation (Perda No. 2/2021) that covers the Konawe Islands and carves out an exemption for mining on Wawonii.

Wawonii residents, represented by the Denny Indrayana Law Firm, have filed a judicial review of the regulation. On December 22, 2022, the Supreme Court granted their request.

Through decision No. 57 P/HUM/2022, the Supreme Court states that Wawonii Island is a “small island… which is vulnerable and very limited, therefore requires special protection. All activities that are not intended to support the ecosystem… including but not limited to mining are categorised as abnormally dangerous activities… which must be prohibited… as they will threaten the lives of all living creatures on the island”.

The Supreme Court also mentions that the special planning regulation “…ignores the wishes of the community as conveyed by a huge demonstration on March 6, 2019, against the mining activities”. The court further ordered the Konawe Islands Regent, as well as the Regional Legislative Council, to revise the regulation.

 

However, president director of PT Gema Kreasi Perdana Rasnius Pasaribu, through his attorney Asmansyah & Partners, submitted a judicial review to the Constitutional Court to challenge a number of articles in the law about the protection of coastal areas and small islands. The articles, number 23 paragraph 2 and 25 letter k, ban mineral mining activities in such areas.

The company’s lawyer argued that the Supreme Court interpreted the two articles as an “unconditional prohibition” on mineral activities in areas classified as small islands, despite the fact that the company “possesses a valid permit” and is therefore “threatened to cease its activities and potentially suffer constitutional and economic losses”.

The company said it had invested a total of Rp 37.5 billion and 77,300 US dollars since 2007, in addition to distributing more than Rp 70 billion in compensation for 568 hectares of land affected by mining activities.

The application was submitted on March 28, 2023, and the Constitutional Court arranged several hearings in May, August, and September. The next stage is the verdict hearing. 

Civil society groups have called on the Constitutional Court to reject the judicial review in order to safeguard small islands from the grip of a destructive mining industry.

“If the judicial review is granted, mining activities will be legalised in all coastal areas and small islands in Indonesia, not only on Wawonii Island,” Wildan Siregar from environment watchdog Trend Asia warned. “Both ecological damage and social conflicts due to mining will become far more widespread” he added.

 

 

While the company filed a judicial review at the Constitutional Court, the Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Council officially removed the allocation of land for mining on Wawonii Island. The Regional Regulation Draft (Raperda) concerning the 2023-2043 Spatial Planning of Southeast Sulawesi designates Wawonii Island as an integrated fishery region.

Fajar Ishak, head of the Council’s special committee (Pansus) on the Spatial Planning bill, explained that revocation of land for mining in the Konawe Islands Regency was eliminated to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision.

“The Supreme Court’s decision was issued towards the end of 2022 (and became effective this year). Therefore, we cannot ignore it. As a consequence, we decided to declare Wawonii Island as an integrated fishery area. There will be no more mining there,” said Fajar on August 29,2023.

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“This is a False Allegation”

PT Gema Kreasi Perdana spokesperson Alexander Lieman denied the accusations that the company had caused environmental damage. According to him, the company has taken preventive measures to prevent air pollution such as routinely monitoring the air quality and regularly watering the roads. 

“We are taking such measures as part of our commitment to protect the environment, especially Wawonii Island,” said Lieman. “In fact, we even provided compensation for residents whose plantations were affected by mining activities.”

Regarding the murky water, Lieman claimed the water on Wawonii Island had always been like that, even before the company commenced its operations. He noted that every time it rained, the water turned dark.

“Our mining activities do not pollute the river (…) We strongly reject these baseless accusations. You can validate this with the local administration as well as the Environmental Agency”.

 

 

Lieman said the corporation actually helped the communities to access clean water by dispatching water trucks to villages, setting up a special team to find alternative sources of clean water, digging wells, and cleaning the communities’ water tanks.

“The river is clear again, and the residents can easily access clean water for their daily needs”.

Lieman’s statement does not correspond to the facts on the ground. The water flowing in Dompo-Dompo Jaya, Sukarela Jaya, and Roko-Roko villages continues to carry mud. The water was still dark by August 18, 2023, even though there had not been heavy rain for quite some time.

 

“Hewan pun membutuhkan air. Kalau tidak ada air, mati konyol kita,” Ratna merutuk.

Ratna kesal. Pipa yang saban hari mengalirkan air bersih ke rumahnya kini membawa sedimentasi lumpur. Ratna meyakini lumpur itu mengandung tanah bekas galian nikel PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, anak perusahaan Harita Group, pemilik tunggal izin konsesi di Pulau Wawonii, Kabupaten Konawe Kepulauan. Sebab, air yang digunakan selama ini tak pernah sekeruh itu walau di musim hujan.

Ratna menangis. Hatinya teriris. Ia marah bercampur kecewa. Marah kepada perusahaan yang dianggapnya semena-mena. Kecewa kepada siapa saja yang mendukung beroperasinya perusahaan tambang di pulau yang luasnya hanya 706 km² itu.

Hari-hari berikutnya, Ratna harus menunggu berjam-jam hingga air cukup jernih agar bisa digunakan mandi dan mencuci pakaian dan perabotan dapur. Untuk keperluan memasak, Ratna terpaksa membeli air yang harganya Rp8.000 per galon. Kondisi air belum pulih saat Wawonii Tenggara kembali diguyur hujan pada 21 Mei 2023, menyebabkan sumber mata air kian keruh.

Beberapa jam setelahnya, pipa yang mengalirkan air dari satu-satunya bak penampungan yang digunakan warga selama ini terputus. Warga menduga ada “oknum” yang sengaja memutus pipa agar masalah air tercemar tidak tersebar luas.

Ratna sudah menduga hal ini jauh sebelumnya. Tak heran ia mati-matian menolak masuknya tambang.

“Kata mereka yang jual lahan, aktivitas tambang tidak ada dampaknya. Sekarang sama-sama kita cari air bersih. Mereka dikasih bodo-bodo perusahaan.”

“Hancur kami di sini,” suaranya meninggi.

Ibu dua anak ini sudah 58 tahun menetap di Desa Sukarela Jaya, Kecamatan Wawonii Tenggara. Sejak lahir, berumah tangga, dan sekarang memiliki cucu. Walau hidupnya tak berjalan mulus-mulus saja, ia masih mampu memenuhi kebutuhan hidup dan bertahan sampai hari ini. Apalagi sekadar mendapatkan air bersih.

“Kami perjuangkan pulau ini karena di sini kami lahir. Di sini tumpah darah kami.”

Pulau Wawonii telah menyediakan segala yang dibutuhkan. Tanaman jambu mete, pala, cengkih, dan kelapa, cukup untuk menopang hidupnya. Ratna tak pernah tergiur lahannya ditawari uang ratusan juta rupiah. Uang dari perusahaan bisa habis dalam sekejap, katanya, tapi hasil perkebunan bisa dinikmati terus-menerus.

“Setahun hasil pala bisa berton-ton. Kita dibilang tolak rezeki. Lantas, ini bukan rezeki?”

Lagi pula, tanpa hadirnya tambang, Ratna merasakan hidupnya telah berkecukupan. Hasil perkebunan memungkinkannya menabung dan membeli berbagai keperluan hidup. Hasil kebun itu juga telah membawanya umrah pada awal tahun 2023.

“Biar tidak ada uang, kita masih bisa makan. Kita punya pemikiran jangan cuma sejengkal. Harus berpikir jauh ke depan. Kita punya anak cucu.”

Ratna beranjak ke halaman rumah. Di sana, biji dan bunga pala dijemur di bawah terik matahari. Ditatapnya biji-biji pala yang tak lama lagi menjadi rupiah.

Ratna berkata telah bosan menyampaikan keresahan hatinya. Suaranya hanya dianggap angin lalu oleh para pengambil kebijakan. Padahal, tambahnya, “perempuan yang dirugikan karena kami memasak dan mengurus dapur.”

Di tengah berbagai penolakan dan gejolak yang terjadi, eksavator perusahaan terus menggunduli lahan dan mengeruk tanahnya. Kendaraan-kendaraan pengangkut ore nikel tetap lalu lalang menuju pelabuhan, yang letaknya hanya 200-an meter dari rumahnya.

Ratna bertekad tak akan menyalurkan hak pilihnya pada pemilu di tingkat lokal nanti. Ia kadung kecewa. Merasa ditinggalkan anggota dewan yang seharusnya menjadi penyambung suaranya. Merasa tak dipedulikan kepala daerahnya.

“Saya akan golput. Hanya suara kami yang dibutuhkan. Kita demo di DPR, diusir seperti binatang. Dibentak-bentak. Kita demo di Kendari, dihantam dengan gas air mata. Saya hampir mati karena sesak napas.”

“Katanya, mendatangkan investor untuk kesejahteraan, tapi malah menyengsarakan. Mematikan secara halus.”

“Sekarang tidak ada keadilan. Tidak ada perikemanusiaan. Kayak penjajahan Belanda kita dibikin. Penjajahnya negara sendiri.”

Bersembunyi di Hutan

Pukul 6 pagi pada pertengahan Mei 2023 di Desa Sukarela Jaya, Hastati sibuk membelah buah kelapa tua untuk dijadikan kopra. Totalnya 1.000 buah. Sebagian kelapa itu milik sendiri yang baru saja dipanen, sebagian lain dibeli dari warga sekitar. Saat itu harga kopra putih Rp7.500/kg dan kopra hitam Rp6.500/kg. Dalam satu kali panen, setiap tiga bulan, kelapa yang dihasilkan biasanya mencapai 3.000 buah. Selain daging kelapa, Hastati mendapatkan keuntungan ekonomi dari tempurung kelapa yang dibakar menjadi arang.

Hastati, 45 tahun, adalah ibu enam anak. Seperti warga lain yang menolak tambang, Hastati merasa sudah cukup atas hasil perkebunannya. Ia berkata pernah ditawari uang Rp1 miliar agar mau melepas tanah seluas 2 ha warisan orang tua. Ia juga bercerita ditawari umrah gratis berkali-kali, bantuan biaya pendidikan untuk anak-anaknya, dan pernah diajak bekerja di tambang.

“Tapi saya tolak. Kita mau mempertahankan lahan dan Pulau Wawonii. Lebih baik kita berdikari begini.”

Uang dari perusahaan, katanya, bisa habis dalam sekejap. Namun, lahan yang dimilikinya, selama tidak dirusak, bisa memberikan kehidupan hingga generasi mendatang.

“Kalau sudah habis gunung, perusahaan pulang. Sedangkan kita?”

Di lahannya tumbuh pala, cengkih, dan jambu mete. Baru setahun terakhir Hastati mulai membuat kopra. Pohon pala dan cengkih baru belajar berbuah. Tahun lalu, ia memanen 50 kg cengkih. Sementara pala sekali panen rata-rata 5 kg. Jambu mete menjadi tanaman andalannya. Setahun bisa menghasilkan 3-4 ton.

Hastati tinggal bersama suami dan empat anak dan seorang cucu. Sulitnya mendapatkan air bersih menghantam seluruh kehidupannya, tak cuma mempengaruhi ekonomi rumah tangga. Hastati tak pernah menyangka akan melalui fase ini. Sejak dulu, ia tak pernah kesulitan mendapatkan air bersih. Sumur di Roko-Roko rata-rata sudah ditutup lebih dari satu dekade sejak air dari mata air Banda mengalir lancar ke kampung.

“Dulu kita senang air mengalir ke rumah. Sekarang harus ke sungai untuk mencuci. Bagaimana kita tidak mau marah?”

Sebagai bentuk penolakan tambang, Hastati menolak menerima bantuan air dari perusahaan. Ini bukan hanya tentang air. Ini tentang prinsip, katanya. “Sekarang terpaksa pakai air kali untuk memasak.”

Hastati tak pernah lupa kejadian tahun 2022. Saat itu ia bersama ibu-ibu lain nekat melepas baju dalam aksi menolak tambang nikel. Ia juga pernah bersembunyi di hutan selama nyaris  dua bulan. Ia takut ditangkap lantaran dianggap menghalangi pertambangan.

“Saya jengkel kepada perusahaan. Kita mempertahankan lahan malah dicari-cari polisi. Padahal kita tidak membunuh atau mencuri.”

 

Hastati bersembunyi di hutan bersama delapan warga lain. Di antara mereka ada Amlia yang menolak menjual lahannya untuk dijadikan jalan hauling atau jalan akses kegiatan pertambangan.

Saya menemui Amlia di kebunnya pada 20 Mei 2023. Ia berkisah bersembunyi di hutan lantaran takut ditahan polisi setelah menerima surat panggilan sebagai “saksi” oleh Kepolisian Resor Konawe Kepulauan.

“Kalau tidak dikasih lahannya, kita tidak dilepas di kantor polisi. Yang dipanggil ke polisi yang punya lahan. Kita bingung kenapa dipanggil. Lebih baik kita lari. Tidak usah kita hadiri panggilan polisi itu.”

Selama persembunyian itu, mereka melewati hari-hari cukup berat. Siang berpencar di hutan, malam mencari gubuk untuk berlindung. Dalam sehari, kadang tidak makan apa pun. Pernah mereka terpaksa makan singkong rebus basi.

“Biarpun makan, kita tidak rasa makan. Begitu juga kita duduk. Tidak tenang. Mau tenang bagaimana? Kita lari hampir dua bulan. Kita dicari-cari petugas polisi,” tutur Amlia.

Amlia juga pernah diiming-imingi gaji untuk anak pertama dan suaminya tanpa perlu bekerja oleh pihak perusahaan.

“Saya ditawari terserah mau berapa. Kalau mau, anak dikasih kuliah sambil kerja di kantor. Bapak dapat gaji biar tidak kerja. Anak yang paling tua juga dapat gaji biar tidak kerja.”

Tak jauh dari gubuknya, tumbuh pohon singkong berusia dua bulan dan tanaman lain seperti cabai, pisang, dan kelapa. Hujan deras beberapa hari sebelumnya menyebabkan sebagian lahan itu terendam air yang membawa sedimentasi lumpur merah setinggi pinggang orang dewasa. Amlia menduga tanah merah itu mengandung bekas galian nikel.

Kini Amlia dan suaminya harus berjalan kaki sejauh 2 km dari tempat memarkir sepeda motor mereka setiap kali ke kebun. Rute yang biasa dilalui telah menjadi jalan hauling PT Gema Kreasi Perdana. Saat masih bisa menggunakan sepeda motor, mereka biasanya ke kebun pukul 8 pagi. Sekarang paling telat berangkat pukul 6.30. Dari semula hanya setengah jam naik motor, sekarang mereka harus berjalan kaki selama dua jam untuk tiba di kebun.

Hasil panen pun dipikul dengan berjalan kaki melewati jalanan berbukit. Saat musim panen jambu, Amlia dan suaminya terpaksa mengangkut jambu seberat 20-30 kg dengan berjalan kaki.

“Walau sulit, kita berusaha tembus. Namanya petani. Pendapatan kita dari berkebun,” kata Amlia, yang membopong singkong seberat 20 kg dari kebun menuju parkiran motor sejauh 2 km dengan berjalan kaki.

 

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Merusak Mata Air

Saharia, warga Desa Dompo-Dompo Jaya, seperti biasa bangun pagi hari untuk menyiapkan sarapan. Saat memutar keran untuk mencuci ikan, air yang keluar berwarna oranye. Ia terpaksa memasak dan mencuci bahan makanan menggunakan air hujan yang ditampung dari atap rumah beberapa hari sebelumnya.

Saharia, 50 tahun, adalah ibu tunggal empat anak. Keluarga ini memiliki kebun seluas 250 m² yang ditanami kelapa, jambu mete, pala, dan cengkih. Saharia mengolah kelapa yang buahnya dijadikan kopra dan tempurungnya dijadikan arang, dibantu ketiga anaknya. Salah satu anaknya saat ini mencari nafkah di perantauan.

Saat ini Saharia cemas kebun mereka bisa diserobot sewaktu-waktu oleh perusahaan.

PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, anak usaha Harita Group, melakukan produksi dan pengapalan ore nikel pada Agustus 2022. Lokasi penggalian korporasi berada di beberapa desa di Kecamatan Wawonii Tenggara, yang diduga telah mencemari sumber mata air. Pamsimas (program penyediaan air minum dan sanitasi berbasis masyarakat) Sukarela Jaya dan Pamsimas Dompo-Dompo Jaya, keduanya menyuplai air bersih untuk dua desa tersebut, mengalirkan air berlumpur sejak hujan deras pada 9 Mei 2023.

 

Pada 19 Mei 2023, saya mendatangi mata air Banda di hutan Wawonii Tenggara, sekitar satu jam berjalan kaki dari Desa Dompo-Dompo Jaya. Mata air di dalam gua karst dengan ketinggian 119 mdpl ini mengalir ke beberapa anak sungai sebagai sumber pengairan kebun dan pertanian warga.

Pada 21 Mei, Wawonii Tenggara kembali diguyur hujan. Kawasan perairan di Desa Sukarela Jaya, Dompo-Dompo Jaya, dan Roko-Roko berubah warna cukup pekat. Di tengah hujan, warga yang tinggal di tepian laut membersihkan selokan, menghalau material lumpur yang terbawa air hujan. Menurut warga setempat, perubahan warna air laut kerap terjadi saat hujan, tapi tidak separah itu.

Saya memeriksa pipa di rumah warga. Airnya cokelat pekat. Tak sampai dua jam setelah hujan berhenti, aliran air di rumah-rumah warga terhenti. Dalam perjalanan, saya bertemu seorang wanita yang membawa bundel cucian di atas sepeda motor. Ia berteriak, “Saya mau pergi bilas cucian.” Perempuan lain menimpali, “Air ini sudah tidak ada gunanya.”

Saya mendatangi lokasi pertemuan sungai Roko-Roko dan Tambusiu-siu yang mengalirkan mata air Banda. Gradasi warna mencolok antara keduanya. Sungai Roko-Roko hanya sedikit keruh, sedangkan Tambusiu-siu berwarna kecokelatan. Sungai Roko-Roko adalah satu-satunya yang tidak tercemar dan masih digunakan warga Desa Roko-Roko, Sukarela Jaya, dan desa sekitar untuk keperluan mandi, mencuci, dan memasak. Perusahaan membagikan air bersih tapi sebagian warga menolak sebagai sikap penolakan atas aktivitas tambang di Wawonii.

 

Saharia termasuk warga yang menolak tambang. Sebagai ibu tunggal, ia mengemban peran ganda mengurusi rumah dan mencari nafkah. Ia harus ke sungai berjarak 500 meter untuk mendapatkan air bersih, selain mengandalkan air hujan. Ia dan keluarganya terpaksa mengurangi frekuensi mandi karena merasa tak nyaman menggunakan air kotor. Belum lagi anggota keluarga perempuan yang setiap bulan harus melalui fase menstruasi. Di rumahnya, ada tiga perempuan.

“Kita pusing tidak ada air begini,” keluhnya. “Pada masa-masa datang bulan itu berat sekali. Karena harus sering bersih-bersih. Sekarang mau apa? Kita tahan-tahan mi.”

Sampai pertengahan Agustus 2023, air bersih belum juga pulih. Padahal sudah memasuki musim kemarau. Walau tak begitu keruh, air masih berlumpur. Selain itu, saluran air kerap kali macet. Sejak terputus pada Mei, air kembali mengalir pada awal Agustus.

Perasaan takut menghantui Saharia setiap kali menggunakan air yang diduga kuat tercemar itu. Tapi tak ada pilihan lain. Untuk kebutuhan minum, ia kadang mengambil air di sumur warga lain yang berjarak 100 meter dari rumahnya, dengan menggunakan gerobak pasir untuk mengangkut air.

“Saya khawatir soal kesehatan. Biasanya habis mandi kita gatal-gatal. Tapi mau bagaimana lagi? Kita butuh mandi. Saya rindu kehidupan yang dulu,” katanya.

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Diserang Gatal-Gatal

Sudah lama tidur Ristan tak nyenyak. Nyaris setiap malam ibu muda berumur 24 ini terbangun dan menyaksikan bayi kesayangannya kesulitan tidur. Abyan, anak lelakinya, diserang gatal-gatal sejak berusia lima bulan. Mulanya pada area betis dan pergelangan kaki muncul bintik-bintik kecil, lambat laun menyebar hingga ke jari dan telapak kaki. Sekarang usia Abyan sembilan bulan.

“Ini sudah lumayan membaik. Awalnya parah sekali. Penuh luka. Jorok,” ujar Ristan memperlihatkan kaki Abyan seperti parutan.

Penyakit itu juga menyerang Ristan, suaminya, dan kedua orang tuanya. Tubuh Nahati, ibu Ristan, berbintik hitam dan terasa gatal sekitar enam bulan lalu. Penyakit ini dialami hampir semua warga di tiga desa meliputi Mosolo, Sinar Mosolo, dan Sinaulu Jaya.

“Awalnya gatal di semua badan. Saat digaruk terasa panas. Bahkan sampai berdarah. Saya pusing. Kadang digaruk pakai sikat. Saya obati dengan meminum rebusan daun,” kata Nahati.

Sumber air yang digunakan Ristan sekeluarga berjarak kurang lebih 500 meter dari lokasi penambangan nikel.

Nahati bermukim di Mosolo sejak umur lima tahun. Sepanjang usianya yang sekarang 65 tahun, ia berkata belum pernah mengalami penyakit gatal-gatal seperti saat ini. Dulu, air menjadi keruh hanya jika hujan deras berhari-hari. Tak seperti sekarang. Air berubah warna walau hujan sebentar. Kini keluarga ini terpaksa menggunakan air kotor. Tak ada sumber air lain. Agar bisa digunakan, air harus didiamkan sampai cukup jernih.

Di Desa Mosolo, nasib Tika pun sama. Ibu dua anak berusia 24 tahun ini mengeluhkan gatal-gatal. Kondisi tubuh An, anak Tika berusia 1 tahun, mirip dengan Abyan. Kulit jari-jari kakinya terkelupas. Pada punggung kaki ada bekas luka-luka berbentuk melingkar kehitaman. Awal Agustus 2023, Tika memeriksakan diri dan anaknya ke dokter di Kota Kendari.

“Kata dokter, tidak ada masalah dengan susunya. Hanya dibilang mungkin pengaruh cuaca. Semua keponakan juga gatal-gatal. Saya sendiri gatal-gatal sejak bulan lalu.”

“Kita tidak pakai sumur bor. Hanya mengharapkan air dari mata air,” kata Tika.

Di Desa Sinaulu Jaya, Wa Muita tinggal bersama lima anggota keluarga, tiga di antaranya perempuan. Ia mengalami gatal-gatal dalam setahun terakhir. Ini rentang saat perusahaan tambang melakukan penggalian nikel. Penyakit gatal-gatal yang dideritanya tak kunjung sembuh, sementara kebutuhan air rumah tangga pun berwarna cokelat saat hujan deras pada Mei 2023.

“Kita pakai mandi, mencuci, memasak. Pokoknya kebutuhan sehari-hari. Di sini sungainya jauh. Kalau musim hujan, pasti merah juga.”

Wa Muita menderita gatal-gatal di beberapa bagian tubuhnya. Ia telah mencoba berbagai obat salep. Pernah berobat di puskesmas dan diberikan obat. Tak ada perubahan.

“Sudah berapa tablet kita minum, masih gatal-gatal. Mungkin karena air yang dipakai masih kotor. Jelas kita marah. Sebelumnya tidak pernah begini.”

“Awalnya muncul bintik-bintik merah. Kalau digaruk semakin gatal. Kita garuk sampai berdarah. Bahkan celana dalam kita berdarah-darah.”

 

Kiri: Kaki Abyan, bayi di Desa Sinaulu Jaya, yang menderita gatal-gatal sejak usia lima bulan. 
Kanan: Lengan penderita gatal-gatal di Desa Sinaulu Jaya. Photos: Yuli Z./Project Multatuli

Jumriati, warga Sinaulu Jaya berusia 24 tahun, khawatir sistem reproduksinya terganggu. Selain itu ia takut jika pertumbuhan anaknya berusia tiga tahun terganggu akibat terus-terusan mengonsumsi air tidak layak pakai.

“Harapannya, pemerintah bisa perhatikan keluhan kita di sini. Perhatikan masyarakatnya. Jangan biarkan masyarakat terdampak pencemaran tambang. Mereka raup keuntungan tapi kehidupan kami dikorbankan.”

Lahadi, penjaga penampungan air warga Sinaulu Jaya, membenarkan air mulai keruh dan kemerahan sejak perusahaan mengebor pada 2020. “Kita tidak bisa mendeteksi apakah pencemaran itu akibat aktivitas perusahaan atau bukan. Akan tetapi, ketika hujan selama satu hari, mata air mengalirkan gumpalan lumpur ke tempat penampungan,” katanya.

“Kita bicara begini bukan mengarang. Ada yang punya lahan di situ dan dia tahu persis bahwa lahan di sekitar itu telah dieksploitasi.”

Terkait dugaan pencemaran air, Kepala Bidang Penataan Peningkatan Kapasitas Lingkungan Dinas Lingkungan Hidup Konawe Kepulauan, Hasnawati mengatakan air yang digunakan warga Roko-Roko masih sesuai baku mutu berdasarkan Peraturan Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan. Pengujian dilakukan pada mata air Pamsimas Sukarela Jaya dan Pamsimas Dompo-Dompo Jaya.

“Untuk hasil lab yang kami lakukan dan diperiksa di laboratorium terakreditasi (laboratorium Kabupaten Kolaka), hasilnya masih sesuai baku mutu sesuai Permen LHK. Untuk sungai Mosolo, kami pantau sebagai bahan laporan ke KLHK,” katanya.

Hasnawati belum memperlihatkan hasil uji lab tersebut sampai artikel ini dirilis. “Ada sama staf saya,” katanya.

Muhammad Jamil dari Jaringan Advokasi Tambang (JATAM), organisasi masyarakat sipil yang melakukan riset tentang gurita bisnis tambang nikel Harita Group, induk PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, berkata kasus gatal-gatal dan penyakit kulit lainnya umum ditemukan di daerah tambang nikel. Di Sulawesi Tenggara, hal sama terjadi di Kecamatan Pomalaa, Kabupaten Kolaka, dan Kecamatan Tinanggea, Kabupaten Konawe Selatan.

“Setahu kami hal itu sudah diriset oleh kampus,” kata Jamil.

Penelitian La Maga, Ahyar Ismail, dan Faroby Falatehan dari Institut Pertanian Bogor (2017) di Tinanggea menemukan warga setempat menderita penyakit kulit akibat menggunakan air bercampur material tanah dari lokasi tambang nikel. Penyakit kulit umumnya diderita petani saat pengolahan lahan. Selain penyakit kulit, warga mengalami penyakit batuk akibat debu aktivitas penambangan maupun pengangkutan material nikel dari lokasi penambangan ke pelabuhan. Radius pencemaran udara ini sampai 3 km dari lokasi tambang nikel.

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Mempertahankan Lahan

“Perasaan saya hancur melihat pohon cengkih tumbang. Seperti melihat anak sendiri dibunuh,” kata Wa Muita, 43 tahun, warga Desa Sinaulu Jaya, mengenang peristiwa 10 Agustus 2023.

Sehari sebelumnya, warga desa menerima laporan bahwa kebun mereka yang terletak di bukit Mosolo, berjarak dua jam perjalanan, diterobos PT Gema Kreasi Perdana.

Sehari sebelumnya, Wa Muita dan suaminya, Amiri, menerima laporan bahwa kebun mereka yang berjarak dua jam perjalanan, diterobos pihak PT Gema Kreasi Perdana. Amiri bergegas mengecek kondisi kebun pada pukul 12 malam dan mendapati 40 pohon cengkih yang sedang berbuah telah rata tanah. Selain cengkih, perusahaan merobohkan 20 pohon merica yang baru belajar berbuah dan puluhan pohon jambu mete yang diperkirakan berbuah pada Oktober nanti. Saat ini harga merica Rp65 ribu/kg.

Wa Muita menyusul keesokan harinya pukul 6 pagi bersama 20-an warga. Mereka melihat pohon-pohon cengkih berumur 18 tahun yang sudah jadi tumpuan ekonomi keluarga itu hancur seketika.

“Saya kehabisan kata-kata. Cuma air mata yang keluar,” kata Wa Muita.

Tak lama kemudian, ratusan warga memenuhi kebun Wa Muita. Warga mempertanyakan alasan penerobosan lahan. Namun, perusahaan berdalih telah membeli lahan itu melalui orang lain. Wa Muita dan Amiri menegaskan tidak pernah menjual lahan apalagi menerima uang hasil penjualan lahan itu. Situasi menjadi tidak terkendali. Warga dan pihak perusahaan hampir saling menyerang dengan senjata tajam.

“Setiap ke kebun saya tidak pernah lupa berbicara ke cengkih, ‘Tolong berbuah. Kita rawat kalian seperti anak sendiri. Kalian yang biayai saudara yang sekolah,” tutur Wa Muita.

Wa Muita memiliki dua anak yang sedang kuliah; satu anak sekolah menengah atas; dan satu anak sekolah dasar. Biaya pendidikan empat anak itu bergantung pada cengkih. Pada 2019, hasil panen cengkih keluarga ini mencapai 1 ton. Harga pasar cengkih di Wawonii Tenggara saat ini Rp130 ribu/kg. Bagi Wa Muita, 40 pohon cengkih yang ditumbangkan itu sangat berharga.

Menahan diri dan berbesar hati, Wa Muita dan Amiri meminta PT Gema Kreasi Perdana tidak memperluas penyerobotan. Ada total 200 pohon cengkih di kebun mereka dan 120 pohon di antaranya telah berbuah.

“Kami ikhlas. Semoga perusahaan mau menyisakan sedikit hati nuraninya. Kami sudah meminta orang yang menjual lahan tanpa sepengetahuan kami untuk mengembalikan uang perusahaan.”

“Kami mau harap apa?  Mau cari lagi di mana? Tidak ada. Ini lahan kami satu-satunya. Gaji kami hanya dari kebun,” kata Wa Muita.

Wa Muita pernah mempertahankan lahannya dengan berjaga di kebun selama empat bulan.

“Kadang mandi empat hari sekali. Hanya harapkan air hujan selama berjaga dari bulan Februari sampai Mei. Makan apa adanya. Saya berjaga dengan suami dan orang Mosolo lainnya.”

“Kita berjaga terus jangan sampai ada penerobosan. Ternyata, setelah kita turun dari kebun, pihak perusahaan lirik sudah tidak ada orang, perusahaan garap.”

 

Sebelum kehadiran tambang nikel, Wa Muita biasanya ke kebun dua kali seminggu. Kini ia terpaksa lebih sering ke kebun. Bergantian dengan warga lain untuk memantau situasi.

“Saya tidak tahu mau bilang apa. Ini sadis buat saya. Ngeri. Hancur perasaanku. Kenapa ada orang sejahat itu menerobos saya punya lahan? Mati-matian kita jaga, rawat, perjuangkan. Ujung-ujungnya diterobos. Setelah itu kita masih diancam juga mau digusur.”

“Saya berharap sama media atau siapa pun, tolong hentikan yang merusak ini.”

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“Kami Dibuat Terpecah Belah”

Belum cukup dengan dampak lingkungan yang ditimbulkan tambang nikel, warga dibuat terpecah belah. Konflik tak cuma antara warga dan korporasi, tetapi merasuk ke konflik keluarga: antar-tetangga saling bermusuhan; orang tua dan anak saling membenci; sesama saudara tak lagi saling menyapa; suami dan istri bahkan sampai bercerai.

Situasi itu dialami Sanawia yang sudah tiga tahun tak bertegur sapa dengan kedua orang tuanya. Konflik bermula saat salah satu saudara Sanawia menjual lahan warisan orang tua. Tindakan itu didukung sang ayah.

Tanah itu dijual saat Sanawia sedang demonstrasi menolak tambang di kantor DPRD Konawe Kepulauan pada 2019. Di perjalanan pulang, Sanawia mendengar kabar lahan orang tuanya telah dijual kakaknya.

“Saya hanya bisa menangis. Lahan yang dijual itu sudah diratakan. Sampai sekarang saya tidak pernah lagi ke rumah orang tua.”

Sanawia tak tahu pasti berapa luas lahan yang dijual, tapi kebun itu bisa menghasilkan 3.000 buah kelapa sekali panen.

Sanawia memiliki lima saudara, tiga di antaranya pendukung tambang. Saat orang tuanya sakit, ia enggan menjenguk. “Dulunya saya paling dekat dengan orang tua, sekarang tidak lagi.”

Ibu dua anak berusia 45 tahun ini ingin memperbaiki hubungan dengan orang tua dan saudara-saudaranya, tapi “hubungan kita bisa diperbaiki asalkan tambang pergi,” tambahnya.

Aba, bukan nama sebenarnya, pria paruh baya, menyaksikan kesedihan putrinya ditinggal suami saat mengandung anak kedua. Menantunya menawarkan uang dari perusahaan sebagai ganti rugi lahan milik Aba yang dijadikan jalan hauling PT Gema Kreasi Perdana. 

Aba pernah dibawa ke kantor polisi demi mempertahankan lahan. Karena itu, ia marah saat menantunya menyodorkan uang ganti rugi tanpa persetujuannya. Ia menolak uang tersebut dan minta dikembalikan ke perusahaan.

Saat hendak membangun rumah, si menantu meminta putri Aba mengutang. Putrinya menolak. Saat itulah si menantu mengungkit-ungkit soal uang ganti rugi lahan yang pernah ditolak Aba. Cekcok suami-istri ini berujung kekerasan dalam rumah tangga.

“Anak saya datang malam hari sambil menangis. Mata kanannya lebam. Saya berusaha mendamaikan. Sempat berbaikan. Tapi beberapa hari setelahnya, saat anak saya mencari kerang di laut, suaminya pergi dari rumah dan tidak pernah kembali sampai hari ini,” kata Aba.

Kini putri dan kedua cucunya tinggal bersamanya. “Saya tidak akan pernah menerima uang perusahaan. Saya memang sudah tua, tapi saya memikirkan masa depan cucu-cucu saya,” kata Aba.

Sanawia dan Aba adalah warga Desa Roko-Roko. Dan di desa ini, perpecahan warga akibat kehadiran tambang bukan rahasia lagi. Beberapa orang yang saya temui mengaku enggan bersosialisasi dengan siapa pun yang tidak sekubu, bahkan sekadar bertegur sapa.

“Situasi sosial di Wawonii Tenggara seperti api dalam sekam,” kata Erwin Suraya dari Koalisi Rakyat untuk Keadilan Perikanan (KIARA), dalam diskusi publik mengenai kehancuran ekosistem Pulau Wawonii, belum lama ini.

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Gugatan Hukum

Pulau Wawonii seluas 706 km² termasuk dalam kategori pulau-pulau kecil sesuai Undang-undang No. 27 Tahun 2007 tentang Perlindungan Wilayah Pesisir dan Pulau-Pulau Kecil. Pulau kecil adalah pulau dengan luas lebih kecil atau sama dengan 2.000 km². Dengan demikian, sebagaimana diamanatkan undang-undang tersebut, aktivitas pertambangan tidak boleh dilakukan di Pulau Wawonii.

Ada 2.214 jiwa penduduk yang tinggal di Desa Dompo-Dompo Jaya (441 jiwa), Sukarela Jaya (550 jiwa), Roko-Roko (582 jiwa), Bahaba (160 jiwa), dan Teporoko (481 jiwa) yang terdampak penambangan nikel PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, sebut kelompok masyarakat sipil terdiri atas Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI), JATAM, KIARA, Trend Asia, dan LBH Makassar.

PT Gema Kreasi Perdana mendapatkan izin eksplorasi bahan galian nikel dan mineral pengikut sejak 2007. Pada akhir tahun 2019, anak usaha Harita Group ini mengantongi izin usaha pertambangan (IUP) operasi produksi seluas 850,9 ha. Seluas 707,10 ha konsesi perusahaan merupakan izin pinjam pakai kawasan hutan (IPPKH). Perusahaan mendapatkan wilayah izin area proyek seluas 192,4 ha serta pembangunan terminal khusus di perairan Selat Wawonii seluas 13,3 ha.

Menurut kelompok masyarakat sipil, pengerukan tambang nikel hingga pembuatan dermaga untuk tambang dengan menimbun perairan di Wawonii telah merusak ekosistem mangrove, terumbu karang, dan perairan. Keruhnya sungai menyebabkan warga semakin sulit mendapatkan ikan. Dermaga perusahaan juga menyebabkan ikan menjauh. Aktivitas pengangkutan ore nikel yang menghasilkan debu tebal mengganggu pernapasan warga, sebut koalisi.

Koalisi menaksir korporasi telah melakukan pengapalan ore nikel lebih dari 100 kali untuk diolah di fasilitas pemurnian atau smelter milik Harita Group di Pulau Obi, Provinsi Maluku Utara. Harita Group, berkantor pusat di Jakarta, merupakan perusahaan raksasa di sektor sumber daya alam, mulai dari bisnis pertambangan nikel, bauksit, batu bara, perkebunan sawit, perkapalan, dan perkayuan. Perusahaan ini dimiliki keluarga Lim Hariyanto Wijaya Sarwono.

Sekalipun sudah dilindungi undang-undang, Peraturan Daerah No. 2 Tahun 2021 tentang RTRW Konawe Kepulauan 2021-2041 menetapkan alokasi ruang untuk kegiatan pertambangan di Konawe Kepulauan, Pulau Wawonii.

Warga Wawonii, yang diwakili firma hukum Denny Indrayana, mengajukan uji materiil perda tersebut. Pada 22 Desember 2022, Mahkamah Agung mengabulkan permohonan warga.

Dalam putusan No. 57 P/HUM/2022, Mahkamah Agung menyebutkan Pulau Wawonii merupakan “pulau kecil … yang rentan dan sangat terbatas sehingga membutuhkan perlindungan khusus. Segala kegiatan yang tidak ditujukan untuk menunjang kehidupan ekosistem … termasuk namun tidak terbatas pada kegiatan pertambangan dikategorikan sebagai abnormally dangerous activity … yang harus dilarang … karena akan mengancam kehidupan seluruh makhluk hidup.”

Mahkamah Agung juga menyebut Perda RTRW tersebut “… mengabaikan aspirasi masyarakat … melalui demo besar-besaran pada 6 Maret 2019 … menolak kegiatan usaha pertambangan.” Mahkamah memerintahkan Bupati dan DPRD Konawe Kepulauan merevisi Perda RTRW tersebut.

 

Namun, PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, diwakili direktur utamanya Rasnius Pasaribu lewat kuasa hukum Asmansyah & Partners, mengajukan judicial review ke Mahkamah Konstitusi atas UU Perlindungan Wilayah Pesisir dan Pulau-Pulau Kecil, sebagai respons atas putusan Mahkamah Agung. Pokok gugatannya adalah pasal 23 ayat 2 dan pasal 35 huruf k dalam undang-undang tersebut, yang intinya melarang aktivitas penambangan mineral.

Pengacara perusahaan menilai Mahkamah Agung menafsirkan kedua pasal itu sebagai “larangan tanpa syarat” atas kegiatan penambangan mineral di wilayah yang tergolong Pulau Kecil padahal perusahaan “telah memiliki izin yang sah” sehingga “terancam harus menghentikan kegiatannya dan berpotensi mengalami kerugian konstitusional dan ekonomi.”

Perusahaan, dalam surat permohonan ke Mahkamah Konstitusi, menyebut telah mengeluarkan total investasi Rp37,5 miliar dan 77,3 ribu dolar AS sejak 2007, selain telah menyalurkan lebih dari Rp70 miliar atas pembayaran “pembebasan tanam tumbuh kepada masyarakat” sebagai “ganti untung” atas tanaman yang terdampak pertambangan pada lahan seluas 568 ha.

Perusahaan mengajukan permohonan perkara itu pada 28 Maret 2023. Berkas  permohonannya pun sudah direvisi dan disidangkan pada 9 Mei. Mahkamah sudah menggelar sidang untuk perkara nomor 35/PUU-XXI/2023 itu pada 31 Agustus. Sidang berikutnya dijadwalkan pada 12 September. Tahapan selanjutnya adalah sidang putusan.

Koalisi masyarakat sipil berpendapat Mahkamah Konstitusi seharusnya menolak judicial review yang diajukan PT Gema Kreasi Perdana untuk menyelamatkan pulau-pulau kecil di seluruh Indonesia dari cengkraman industri pertambangan.

“Jika dikabulkan, aktivitas tambang tak cuma dilegalkan di Pulau Wawonii, tapi seluruh wilayah pesisir dan pulau-pulau kecil di Indonesia,” Wildan Siregar dari Trend Asia mengingatkan. “Kerusakan ekologis hingga konflik sosial akibat perusahaan tambang yang tidak menaati Undang-Undang No. 27 Tahun 2007 akan semakin masif.”

 

Sementara perusahaan menggugat ke Mahkamah Konstitusi, DPRD Sulawesi Tenggara resmi menghapus alokasi ruang tambang di Pulau Wawonii. Dalam Rancangan Peraturan Daerah (Raperda) Rencana Tata Ruang Wilayah (RTRW) Sulawesi Tenggara 2023-2043, Pulau Wawonii Kabupaten Konawe Kepulauan ditetapkan sebagai kawasan perikanan terpadu.

Ketua Pansus RTRW DPRD Sultra, Fajar Ishak, mengatakan keputusan untuk meniadakan ruang aktivitas pertambangan di Konawe Kepulauan berdasarkan putusan Mahkamah Agung.

Putusan MA meminta Pemda Konawe Kepulauan untuk merevisi pasal alokasi tambang dalam RTRW kabupaten karena bertentangan dengan Undang-Undang Pengelolaan Wilayah Pesisir dan Pulau-Pulau Kecil.

“Keputusan (Mahkamah Agung) itu lahir di penghujung tahun 2022, maka kita tidak boleh membantah itu, sehingga kita tetap mempertahankan Pulau Wawonii menjadi kawasan perikanan terpadu dan tidak ada kawasan tambang di sana,” ujar Fajar Ishak dalam pembahasan revisi RTRW yang yang digelar di Hotel Claro Kendari pada 29 Agustus 2023.

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Bantah Tudingan Pencemaran

Humas PT Gema Kreasi Perdana, Alexander Lieman, membantah perusahaan menyebabkan pencemaran lingkungan. Soal tuduhan polusi udara, katanya, perusahaan telah melakukan langkah preventif dengan cara memantau kualitas udara dan kebisingan secara rutin dua kali setahun, melakukan penyiraman jalan secara berkala, serta pengaturan kecepatan kendaraan operasional.

“Berbagai program ini kami jalankan sebagai bentuk komitmen terhadap ketentuan yang berlaku di bidang lingkungan hidup dan untuk menjaga kelestarian lingkungan Pulau Wawonii,” katanya.

“Bahkan sebagai bentuk iktikad baik kami terhadap masyarakat setempat yang menggarap lahan di wilayah Izin Pinjam Pakai Kawasan Hutan (IPPKH) kami, telah kami berikan ganti untung tanam tumbuh,” katanya.

Lieman berkata perusahaan tidak menyebabkan pencemaran air. Sebelum ada kegiatan pertambangan, setiap curah hujan tinggi melanda Pulau Wawonii maka menyebabkan air sungai keruh.

“Kegiatan pertambangan kami tidak menyebabkan pencemaran sungai di sekitar areal pertambangan.”

Lieman juga menampik tuduhan pencemaran air warga Mosolo. Katanya, air keruh pada bulan Mei hanya terjadi di dua desa, yakni Sukarela Jaya dan dan Dompo-Dompo Jaya.

“Kami tegaskan tuduhan ini salah. Boleh dikonfirmasi ke pemerintah desa dan Dinas Lingkungan Hidup setempat.”

 

 

Lieman menyebut perusahaan justru membantu masyarakat memenuhi kebutuhan air bersih, antara lain mendistribusikan air bersih dengan water truck ke desa-desa yang terdampak kekeruhan air sungai, menurunkan tim untuk mencari alternatif sumber air bersih, membersihkan bak penampungan air bersih warga, serta membuat sumur bor dan sumur cincin.

“Saat ini keadaan sungai sudah jernih kembali dan masyarakat sudah bebas mendapatkan air bersih untuk memenuhi kebutuhan sehari-hari.”

Pernyataan Lieman tak sesuai fakta lapangan. Air yang mengalir di Desa Dompo-Dompo Jaya, Sukarela Jaya, dan Roko-Roko masih mengandung lumpur. Pada 18 Agustus 2023, air masih berwarna cokelat pekat padahal sudah cukup lama tak terjadi hujan deras.

The landfill looms like a Titan, 27 meters into the sky, a stark symbol of Malaysians’ mounting waste problem. That is as tall as a 4-storey building. Its decaying mound emits a foul stench, all from the waste we generate.

This is the Jeram landfill in Selangor, which receives waste from 6 local councils in the Klang Valley. Within 10 minutes, 30 trucks unload their contents onto the ever-growing heap. Every day, 1,000 rubbish trucks dump on average, 3.7 million kilograms of waste into the landfill.

But far away from where anyone lives, it allows us to adopt the mantra of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. As Malaysia’s population not only grows but aspires for better living standards, we also generate more waste. With each passing day, our land disappears under ever-expanding mountains of trash, while toxic leachate seeps into the earth and poisonous landfill gasses taint the air.

And these are likely to worsen as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of floods, sea-level rise, and droughts. Good waste management is therefore urgent. How can we mitigate these harmful effects?

 

Every day, 1,000 rubbish trucks enter the Jeram landfill. They dump 3.7 million kg of rubbish on average. Built to last 20 years, the Jeram landfill will approach its limit in 2027. Once it’s full, new land has to be opened up; to avoid this, its operators are opting for an on-site Waste-to-Energy plant.

Managed by Worldwide Holdings, the Jeram landfill is a sanitary landfill. A sanitary landfill does not function like a compost bin, but like a sealed vault for waste. Once a landfill is filled up, the rubbish inside is meant to be locked away forever.

In fact, sanitary landfills are meticulously engineered and managed facilities, featuring a plastic liner to separate waste from soil and equipped with leachate collection and treatment systems.

In stark contrast, open dumpsites have no such safeguards. Waste is deposited on the ground, left to fester and decay. This leaves an unchecked flow of waste and leachate to freely contaminate the surrounding soil and water bodies.

 

• 
  Anatomy of a Landfill
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  A large hole is dug, and at its base, a polyethylene liner is sandwiched between layers of compacted soil to reinforce its structure, preventing leachate from seeping into groundwater.

  Above the polyethylene liner, a geotextile liner is installed to add another protective layer and prevent damage to the plastic lining.

  A network of pipes is installed at the bottom of the hole to collect leachate and channel it to a treatment facility. Pipes are also installed to capture methane emissions from the landfill.

  Waste is compacted to save space and deposited in layers within the hole. Soil is added as cover after each layer to contain odours and deter pests.

  When the landfill reaches capacity, it is sealed with layers of clay, sand, and topsoil and monitored for several years or even decades to minimise potential risks to surrounding ecosystems and public health.

  – Source: ‘How a Landfill Works’. YouTube, uploaded by WM.

Malaysia’s landfills were once all open dumpsites. Some were later converted to sanitary landfills. This conversion involves digging out rubbish and installing proper lining and treatment facilities.

But only 15 of Malaysia’s registered operational landfills are sanitary landfills. The remaining 116 landfills are dumpsites (Ministry of Housing and Local Government [KPKT], October 2023).

In addition, there is an unknown but probably large number of unauthorised dumps for household trash and hazardous waste. In February, the KPKT revealed that they closed 2,093 illegal waste dumping sites last year alone at a cost of RM1.6 million.

Without protective measures, dumps pose significant environmental and human health risks, heightened now by the climate crisis.

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Garbage juice

Leachate, often likened to “garbage juice”, forms when water seeps through waste, coming from rainfall or the waste itself.

A major concern with leachate is the concentration of heavy metals it carries. These toxic substances leach not only from electronic waste but also from common materials like plastics, wood, and everyday household items like milk cartons. They also already exist in natural soil.

Without bottom liners, leachate collection, or treatment systems, untreated leachate seeps into the soil and pollutes nearby waterways through runoff.

“Heavy metals are inorganic and non-degradable. They stay in the environment, remaining in the soil for many years,” says Dr Munirah Hussein, who has researched heavy metals in leachate. Unlike organic matter, heavy metals can persist within landfills for over a century.

 

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Arsenic Worry

She says of the heavy metals, arsenic, one of the most toxic heavy metals, is most common. Arsenic is particularly alarming because it cannot be detected due to its odourless and tasteless nature.

As arsenic migrates from landfills into waterways, it can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and potentially cause cancer and other health problems in humans exposed to contaminated water.

“The solubility and mobility of arsenic are further exacerbated by increasing alkalinity (pH levels) and salinity (salt content) in groundwater and sediments, heightening the risk of environmental contamination.”

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Climate impacts

Climate change is worrying, notes Munirah, as it brings increased floods and wetter days. Quite simply, the wetter the landfill, the more pollutants leach out of the waste.

“The critical thing is for sanitary landfills to have [a layer of soil on top] to reduce direct contact of waste with rainwater,” she says.

• 
  Floods mean more rubbish
  +
  

  Climate change-induced floods add tremendously to flood-related waste, says Thing Siew Shuen of Greenpeace Malaysia.

  2024: Kota Tinggi, Johor saw the disposal of 90,000 kg of flood waste

  2021: the Taman Sri Muda flood in Shah Alam saw 5 mil kg of flood waste

  2017: Penang had to deal with 10 mil kg of waste within just 10 days

Hydrology expert and flood researcher Edlic Sathiamurthy agrees, noting that a warming Malaysia can also intensify heavy metal leachate risks.

“Higher-than-average temperatures can make chemical processes more active. Leachate is a cocktail of all kinds of materials,” he says. “We have not even factored in air pollutants causing acidic rainfall, [which] would further react with the rubbish.”

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Coastal dumps at risk

Another climate change impact of concern is rising sea levels. These pose a problem for coastal landfills, allowing water to seep in and carry leachate into the ocean. This would harm marine ecosystems and lower water quality.

This is the case for the 16ha Pulau Burung landfill in Penang, says Edlic, who grew up near that landfill. He gestures at a map of the landfill and humorously points out a gazebo along a running track. “You could sit here and smell the fresh air of rubbish,” he says cheekily.

But turning serious, he says that Pulau Burung’s coastal location has become a real problem.

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Overflowing leachate

“During heavy rain, the leachate pond can overflow. But with climate change, it’s not just about rain – it’s also about sea level rise, wave height, and storm surges,” he explains.

During spring tides and storm events, waves can reach further into land, flowing into the leachate pond.

The threat from rising sea levels is not limited to Pulau Burung, he warns. “If it’s an old landfill in a coastal area, then it is subjected to the same problem. Can you imagine an event like that? Water overtops, mixed with the leachate, and goes back into the sea!”

 

(1) Leachate seeps out of rubbish and can contain heavy metals. (2) In a lined sanitary landfill, leachate is collected, aerated and treated. (3) During treatment, leachate goes through rigorous pro-cessing, eliminating solids and sludge. (4) The liquid is tested for signs of contamination. (5) Once the process is completed, the liquid is released into nearby waterways. Photos: Ashley Yeong/Macaranga

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Fire risks grow

As temperatures rise with climate change, so does the risk of landfill fires. On a hot and dry day, only the landfill’s bottom may be in contact with water, explains Edlic. “The top is dry. As materials decompose, methane gas builds up, potentially causing explosions”.

Pulau Burung alone has caught fire multiple times, fires which are tough to extinguish if they are sub-surface; in 2022 fires there took up to 3 weeks to extinguish.

With warmer days, the risk of landfill fires increases, warns NGO Environmental Protection Society Malaysia’s vice-president Randolph Jeremiah.

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Gas Buildup

“Prolonged drought is a major contributor [to] heat buildup within a landfill. The presence of methane increases the intensity of a fire.” He cites past fires in the Bukit Bakri Muar landfill and Pekan Nenas Pontan landfill during the 2018 drought.

What’s more, when landfills catch fire, they release dangerous pollutants into the air, causing health problems like respiratory issues. In March, a landfill fire in Kota Kinabalu forced nearby schools to close early and students to wear face masks because of poor air quality and hotter temperatures.

The siting of new waste facilities should consider climate risks like droughts, floods, and sea level rise to minimise operational and environmental risks, says Jeremiah.

• 
  Landfills generate heat themselves
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  In landfills, various chemical reactions, like metal corrosion and hydration, generate heat within the waste. However, there is not yet a full understanding of how fast these reactions occur or how much heat they release.

  By themselves, these reactions aren’t likely to create high temperatures across the landfill. Instead, heat may accumulate in certain spots due to a mix of microbial and chemical reactions.

  This localised heat buildup, along with poor gas removal and possibly increased pressure, could trigger a change from absorbing heat to producing heat in a process called pyrolysis.

 

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Filling up fast

The problem is not just in properly lining and treating waste in landfills. Worldwide Holdings, who manages the 117ha sanitary landfill in Jeram, reports that landfills are nearing capacity much earlier than expected because trash is growing so fast.

For example, in 2021, it had to take in an additional 5 million kg of waste from Shah Alam’s Taman Sri Muda flood alone.

Once full, new land would need to be opened for new landfills, or alternative waste management methods explored. Worldwide’s solution is incineration, or Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants.

“With WtE, [our landfill] can go for another 20 years,” says Najmi Mohamad Saifullah, senior engineer at Worldwide.

Worldwide’s WtE facility which is being constructed, is Malaysia’s largest. The 12ha facility will be in Jeram and is expected to start operating in 2026. It will be able to generate up to 52 MW of energy for the national grid, roughly 410,000 households.

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Burning Waste Viable?

As the land available diminishes, incineration emerges as an alternative. In Malaysia, plans for 7 WtE facilities are underway.

However, Greenpeace Malaysia’s Thing Siew Shuen cautions against this approach, calling instead for a shift towards sustainable lifestyles. Without addressing excessive plastic and food waste at the production stage, any solution remains incomplete, Thing argues.

“Whether it’s landfills or incinerators, the continuous investment in these facilities represents a misallocation of public funds and mismanagement of resources.

“Sending waste to landfills is akin to draining water from a flooded bathroom without first turning off the tap. Excessive plastic and food waste could be significantly reduced at the production stage, for instance, by replacing single-use plastics with reusable and refillable options.”

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Tackling GHG

But Najmi points out WtE’s added plus: reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Landfills emit methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. He says the simplest way to reduce the amount of methane being released into the atmosphere is to burn it and turn it to carbon dioxide.

But carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas: ​​burning one kilogram of municipal waste emits carbon dioxide to the tune of 0.7 to 1.1 kg.

Nonetheless, Worldwide also collects the landfill gases to generate electricity.

Much more to be done

Greenpeace’s Thing looks forward to a time without landfills as society embraces sustainable lifestyles.

“Can we envision a future where more landfills are closed, as more people reject single-use, throwaway, and convenience-driven lifestyles in favor of reuse and refill practices?”

Worldwide’s Najmi actually agrees. “I won’t call myself a recyling freak, but looking at all the waste, I definitely try to sort out my plastic,” he says with a wry smile. Being in the waste management industry for more than a decade has influenced his daily lifestyle choices.

Edlic echoes this sentiment. “Plastic takes years and years to decay. Why do we have waste in the first place? It’s because of the inefficient use of resources, and our consumption behaviour.

“We have many things that we don’t actually use and don’t actually need. There has to be a paradigm shift in how we consume, along with stakeholders, industries and the commercial sector, to change.”