DPR Declares Balikpapan Oil Spill as Extraordinary Occurrence
17 April 2018 08:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representative (DPR) has set the oil spill in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan as an extraordinary occurrence. The status declaration was conveyed by the DPR Commission VII chairman Gus Irawan Pasaribu in a work meeting with state oil and gas company Pertamina, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and East Kalimantan Police, Monday, April 16.
“We considered this case as an extraordinary occurrence which must not be happened again,” said Gus.
Read: House Convenes Meeting on Balikpapan Oil Spill
According to Gus, there are three reasons behind the status. First, the oil spill has claimed five lives. The second reason is that the oil has caused an environmental disaster. Environment Ministry recorded 13 hectares area were contaminated due to the oil spill.
Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar noted that the thin layer of oil was still floating in the waters under the stilt houses of the locals in Margasari Sub-District, Kampung Baru Hulu Sub-District, Kampung Baru Hilir Sub-District, Kariangau Sub-District, and West Balikpapan District.
Furthermore, the third reason for the extraordinary circumstance status is the oil spill occurred in the vital object which should have been under strict supervision, Gus Irawan said.
LANI DIANA WIJAYA
