Oil Palm Company Allegedly Pollute River, Killing Hundreds of Rubber Trees

TheIndonesia.id - An oil palm company allegedly dumped its waste into a river and destroyed a rubber tree plantation owned by local residents of Mendala village, Ogan Komering Ulu regency, South Sumatra.

Village resident Ali Robi said his rubber trees are dying because of the waste dumped by PT Mitra Ogan.

“Hundreds of my newly planted rubber trees are dead because they are contaminated with waste from the company,” Robi said on Wednesday, August 31, as reported by Antara.

The overflowing waste, he added, reached the plantation, and the condition worsened during rainy days as waste-contaminated water from nearby river flooded the farming area.

“This has been happening in the last few months, and I have also filed complaint to the environment office,” Robi explained.

The Mendala village resident suspected that the oil palm company dumped its waste into nearby river because the designated pond can no longer contain the waste.

The management of PT Mitra Ogan reportedly said the waste is not hazardous when confronted by locals.

“If it wasn’t hazardous then how did all my rubber and areca palm trees die? The animal populations in the river are also threatened because the water is mixed with waste and flows to Ogan River,” Robi said.

Meanwhile, head of Ogan Komering Ulu environment office Novriansyah confirmed that the office had conducted field study and taken waste sample to lab.

“We already have the result, but it will be submitted to the Ogan Komering Ulu Police because they filed the report,” Ogan Komering Ulu stated.